June 17, 2025
A study led by Dr Nicolas Cermakian reveals that disruption of circadian rhythms during adolescence could influence brain development, particularly in individuals exposed to prenatal infection. By combining two risk factors – prenatal inflammation and constant exposure to light during adolescence – the researchers observed effects on memory, anxiety, social behaviour and gene expression in the brains of mice.
These results suggest that biological rhythms play a key role in vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders, especially during adolescence, a critical period for the brain. Unexpectedly, certain combined effects appeared to attenuate the impact of prenatal infection, paving the way for new avenues of research.
Adolescents are vulnerable. Their internal clocks tend to run later than the rest of the population, but school still starts early. On top of that, evening exposure to screens and artificial light can further delay their biological rhythms, leading to what we call social jet lag.”
– Dr Cermakian
The study, to which researchers Dr Patricia Silveira and Dr Lalit Srivastava also contributed, is published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.