Summary
48 male shift workers in various industries volunteered to document circadian rhythms in sleeping and working, oral temperature, grip strength of both hands, peak expiratory flow and heart rate. All physiological variables were selfmeasured 4 to 5 times a day for 2 to 4 weeks. Individual time series were analyzed according to several statistical methods (power spectrum, cosinor, chi squares, ANOVA, correlation, etc.) in order to estimate rhythm parameters such as circadian period (τ) and amplitude (A), and to evaluate subgroup differences with regard to tolerance to shift work, age, duration of shift work, speed of rotation and type of industry. The present study confirms for oral temperature and extends to other variables (grip strength of both hands, heart rate) that intolerance to shift work is frequently associated with both internal desynchronization and small circadian amplitude. The internal desynchronization among several circadian rhythms supports the hypothesis that these latter are driven by several oscillators. Many differences were observed between circadian rhythms in right and left hand grip strength: circadian τ in oral temperature was correlated with that in the grip strength of the dominant hand but not with that of the other hand; changes in τs of the non-dominant hand were age-related but did not correlate with temperature τ; only the circadian A of the non-dominant hand was associated with a desynchronization. Thus, circadian rhythms in oral temperature and dominant hand grip strength may be driven by the same oscillator while that of the non-dominant hand may be governed by a different one. Internal desynchronization between both hand grip rhythms as well as desynchronization of performance rhythms reported by others provide indirect evidence that circadian oscillator(s) may be located in the human cerebral cortex.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andlauer P, Carpentier J, Cazamian P (1977) Erogonomie du travail de nuit et des horaires alternants. Education permanente. Université de Paris I. Editions Cujas, Paris
Andlauer P, Reinberg A, Fourré L, Battle W, Duverneuil G (1979) Amplitude of the oral temperature circadian rhythm and the tolerance of shift-work. J Physiol (Paris) 75:507–512
Aschoff J (1978) Features of circadian rhythms relevant for the design of shift schedules. Ergonomics 39:739–754
Aschoff J, Wever R (1981) The circadian system of man. In: Aschoff J (ed) Handbook of behavioral neurobiology, vol 4; Plenum Publishing Corporation, London, pp 311–331
Aschoff J, Fatranska M, Gerecke U, Giedke H (1974) Twentyfour hour rhythms of rectal temperature in humans: effects of sleep-interruptions and of test-sessions. Pflügers Arch 346:215–222
Aschoff J, Hoffmann K, Pohl H, Wever R (1975) Reentrainment of circadian rhythms after phase-shifts of the Zeitgeber. Chronobiologia 2:23–78
Bicakova-Rocher A, Gorceix A, Reinberg A (1981) Possible circadian rhythm alterations in certain healthy human adults (effects of placebo). In: Reinberg A, Vieux N, Andlauer P (eds) Night and shift work. Biological and social aspects. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 297–310
Bicakova-Rocher A, Gorceix A, Nicolaï A (1984) Circadian and ultradian rhythm period alteration in apparently healthy subjects with and without placebo. Ann Rev Chronopharmacol 1:169–171
Costa G, Gaffuri E (1983) Circadian rhythms, behavior characteristics and tolerance to shift work. Chronobiologia 10:395
De Prins J, Cornelissen G, Malbecq W (1986) Statistical procedures in chronobiology and chronopharmacology. Ann Rev Chronopharmacol 2:27–141
Folkard S (1979) Time of day and level of processing. Memory Cognition 7:247–252
Folkard S, Wever RA, Wildgdruber CM (1983) Multi-oscillatory control of circadian rhythms in human performance. Nature 305:223–226
Foret J, Benoit O, Merle B (1981) Circadian profile of lung and short sleepers. In: Johnson LC, Tepas DI, Colquhoun WP, Colligan MJ (eds) Biological rhythms, sleep and shift work. Spectrum Publication, New York, pp 499–511
Kerkhof GA (1985) Interindividual differences in the human circadian system, a review. Biologic Psychol 20:83–112
Leonard R (1981) Amplitude of the temperature circadian rhythm and tolerance to shift-work. In: Reinberg A, Vieux N, Andlauer A (eds) Night and shift-work: Biological and social aspects. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 323–329
Minor DS, Waterhouse JM (1984) The use of constant routines in unmasking the endogenous component of human circadian rhythms. Chronobiol Int 1:205–216
Monk TH, Weitzman ED, Fookson TE, Moline ML, Kronauer RE, Gander PH (1983) Task variables determine which biological clock controls circadian rhythms in human performance. Nature 304:543–545
Monk TH, Weitzman ED, Fookson JE, Moline ML (1984) Circadian rhythms in human performance efficiency under free-running conditions. Chronobiologia 11:343–354
Moog R, Hildebrandt G (1985) Comparison of different causes of masking effects. In: Haider M, Koller M, Cervinka R (eds) Night and shift work: Long term effects and their prevention. Verlag Peter, Frankfurt a/M. pp 131–139
Motohashi Y, Reinberg A, Nouguier J, Bourdeleau P, Benot O, Foret J, Lévi F (1987) Axillary temperature: a circadian marker rhythm for shift workers. Ergonomics (in press)
Nelson W, Tong YK, Jueng-Kuen L, Halberg F (1979) Methods for cosinor-rhythmometry. Chronobiologia 6:305–323
Reinberg A (1986) Circadian rhythms in effects of hypnotics and sleep inducers. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 6:33–44
Reinberg A, Smolensky M (1983a) Chronobiology and thermoregulation. Pharmacol Ther 22:425–464
Reinberg A, Smolensky M (1983b) Biological rhythms and medicine. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Reinberg A, Vieux N, Ghata J, Chaumont AJ, Laporte A (1978) Circadian rhythm amplitude and individual ability to adjust to shift work. Ergonomics 21:763–766
Reinberg A, Migraine C, Apfelbaum M, Brigant L, Ghata J, Vieux N, Laporte E, Nicolaï A (1979) Circadian and ultradian rhythms in the feeding behaviour and nutrient intakes of oil refinery operators sith shift-work every 3–4 days. Diabète Métabolisme 5:33–42
Reinberg A, Vieux N, Andlauer P, Guillet P, Nicolaï A (1981) Tolerance of shift-work, amplitude of circadian rhythms and aging. In: Reinberg A, Vieux N, Andlauer P (eds) Night and shift-work: Biological and social aspects. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 341–354
Reinberg A, Andlauer P, Bourdeleau P, Lévi F, Bicakova-Rocher A (1984a) Rythme circadien de la force des mains droites et gauches: désynchronisation chez certains travailleurs postés. Comptes-Rendus Acad Sc Paris: 299:633–636
Reinberg A, Andlauer P, De Prins J, Malbecq W, Vieux N, Bourdeleau P (1984b) Desynchronization of the oral temperature circadian rhythms and intolerance to shift work. Nature 308:272–274
Reinberg A, Brossard T, André MF, Joly D, Malaurie J, Lévi F, Nicolaï A (1984c) Interindividual differences in a set of biological rhythms documented during the high arctic summer (79°N) in three healthy subjects. Chronobiol Int 1:127–138
Reinberg A, Lévi F, Bicakova-Rocher A, Blum JP, Ouechni MM, Nicolaï A (1984d) Biologic time related changes in anti-histamine and other effects of chronic administration of mequitazine in healthy adults. Ann Rev Chronopharmacol 1:61–64
Smolensky MH, Paustenbach DT, Scheving LE (1985) Biological rhythms, shift-work and occupational health. In: Cralley L, Cralley L (eds) Industrial hygiene and toxicology, 2d Ed, vol 3B Biological responses. John Wiley & Sons, London, New York, pp 175–312
Suda M, Hayashi O, Nakagawa H (eds) (1979) Biological rhythms and their central mechanisms. Elsevier/North Holland, Biomedical Press, Amsterdam
Tapp WN, Creighton D, Pritzel TA, Natelson BH (1987) Entrainment of monkey circadian rhythms: effectiveness of food restriction and task demands. Soc Neurosci (in press)
Wever R (1979) The circadian system of man. Results of experiments under temporal isolation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reinberg, A., Motohashi, Y., Bourdeleau, P. et al. Alteration of period and amplitude of circadian rhythms in shift workers. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 57, 15–25 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691232
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691232