Publisher's Synopsis
This book represents the first comprehensive review of the SCN, documenting the modern period of research in this field. It describes the organization of the SCN, its efferent projections and the visual pathways from the retina to the SCN. Four chapters deal with the in vitro and in vivo work on the electrophysiological and biochemical features of intrinsic SCN rhythms. Circadian rhythms driven by the SCN are covered in another set of chapters, which discuss pineal function, melatonin production, temperature regulation, and yearly cycles in reproduction and other functions. The neurochemistry, pharmacology and molecular biology of the SCN are reviewed, and there are several chapters on development and transplantation. There is also a discussion of the human circadian system and the evidence for circadian disorders. Based on a conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, this is the most up-to-date and definitive reference work on the suproachiasmatic nucleus and its role in setting biological rhythms.
