Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) pollution has been regarded as a global environmental concern. More than 80% of the global population is exposed to light pollution. Exacerbating this issue, artificially lit outdoor areas are growing by 2.2% per year, while continuously lit areas have brightened by 2.2% each year due to rapid population growth and expanding urbanization. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of night shift work and smart device usage contributes to the inescapable influence of ALAN. Studies have shown that ALAN can disrupt endogenous biological clocks, resulting in a disturbance of the circadian rhythm, which ultimately affects various physiological functions. Up until now, scholars have studied various disease mechanisms caused by ALAN that may be related to the response of the circadian system to light. This review outlines the molecular mechanisms by which ALAN causes circadian rhythm abnormalities in sleep disorders, endocrine diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, immune impairment, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairments.
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Acknowledgements
The authors of this work acknowledge the supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers NSFC 82204000) and sponsored by Shanghai Sailing Program (grant 21YF1451500).
Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China, NSFC 82204000, Tianyao Yang, Shanghai Sailing Program, 21YF1451500, Hui Hua
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Lei, T., Hua, H., Du, H. et al. Molecular mechanisms of artificial light at night affecting circadian rhythm disturbance. Arch Toxicol 98, 395–408 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03647-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03647-5