Re‐entrainment of the circadian rhythms of plasma melatonin in an 11‐h eastward bound flight

Abstract

We investigated the re-entrainment of melatonin rhythm in an 11-h eastward-bound flight. Eight male subjects participated in the present study. Blood sampling was carried out once before the flight and twice after the flight. During the daytime the subjects were exposed to natural zeitgeber outdoors on the day except the blood sampling. Seven of eight subjects showed antidromic re-entrainment, and the other subject showed orthodromic re-entrainment. The intensity of natural day light in New York amounted to 20 000 lx. As for the direction of the re-entrainment in New York the antidromic re-entrainment is naturally dominant.

Circadian rhythms of European and African-Americans after a large delay of sleep as in jet lag and night work

“…4 in both papers). Antidromic re-entrainment is common after large, abrupt phase advances of zeitgebers26272829. European-Americans were more likely to phase shift in the wrong direction24, which makes sense given their longer free-running circadian periods.…”

Preflight Adjustment to Eastward Travel:3 Days of Advancing Sleep with and without Morning Bright Light

“…For example, following a 10-h eastward flight, 11 of 12 travelers phase delayed, while only 1 phase advanced (Gundel and Spencer, 1999). Similarly, following an 11-h eastward flight, 7 of 8 phase delayed, while only 1 phase advanced (Takahashi et al, 2001). Thus, the probability of antidromic re-entrainment following eastward travel is likely to increase as the number of time zones crossed grows (Aschoff, 1981).…”

Phase advance with separate and combined melatonin and light treatment

“…While travelling over 10 time zones to the east, five subjects delayed while five advanced (Spencer et al 1995). In a series of studies by Takahashi et al, one of six subjects adapted by phase delay in response to an 8-h eastward flight (Takahashi et al 1999), seven of eight subjects adapted by phase delay in response to an 11-h eastward flight (Takahashi et al 2001), and six of seven subjects adapted by phase delay in response to another 11-h eastward flight (Takahashi et al 2002). In an abrupt 12-h change from adapted night shift back to day shift, six of nineteen subjects delayed, six advanced and seven hardly changed in the week following the shift (Gibbs et al 2007).…”