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Effect of Circadian Rhythm on

Cognitive Performance and


Mood
Tyler Mosdell
Neuroscience Discipline, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling
Highway, Crawley WA 6009, Australia

1 INTRODUCTION
Previous studies have highlighted a large role played by circadian rhythms on
cognitive function. Whilst already broadly understood, this study seeks to
correlate time of day with cognitive performance, in particular DSST (Digital
Symbol Substitution Test) performance, and mood.

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS


Methods followed procedures outlined by (REF) with the following variations:
Thermometer used was a Braun ear and forehead thermometer (ThermoScan )
of which only the ear measurement was used, temperature and DSST/mood test
was performed every two hours with the exception of hours between 0000 and
0600 during which period only one test was performed.

3 RESULTS
3.1 TEMPERATURE RESULTS
Body temperature fluctuated between 37.3C and 36.5C occurring at 8am and
5pm for the maximum and between 3am and 6am for the minimum.
Temperatures followed no otherwise visible trend but did visually correlate with
results for both mood (Figure 1) and test time (Figure 2). Despite this, data does
not formally correlate (with pearson product-moment correlation coefficient
values of 0.52 and 0.17 respectively). All temperatures displayed in figures is the
mean of two temperatures taken 24 hours apart.

12.0

2
2.5

10.0

8.0

3.5
4

6.0

4.5

Temperature (C)
4.0

Mood Scale

5
5.5

2.0

0.0

6.5

2:00
6:00
10:00 14:00 18:00 22:00
0:00
4:00
8:00
12:00 16:00 20:00

Time of Day
Body Temperature

Mood

Figure 1, Body temperature measured over a 48 hour period and averaged to get one 24 hour
cycle. Mood measured as an average of 4 independent scaling tests each with a range of 1-10 with
1 being the most positive result and 10 the most negative. Tests were; Strong-Feeble/Weak, CalmIrritable, Happy-Unhappy and Very Pleasant-Very Unpleasant. Each data point is the average of two
scores completed 24 hours apart.
12.0

4:30

10.0

4:45
5:00

8.0

5:15
6.0
5:30

Temperature (C)
4.0

Time (Minutes : Seconds)

5:45

2.0

6:00

0.0

6:15

Time of Day
Body Temperature

Test Time

Figure 2, Body temperature measured over a 48 hour period and averaged to get one 24 hour
cycle. Test time was the time taken to complete a 200 item digital symbol substitution test. Each
data point is the average of two scores completed 24 hours apart.

3.2 MOOD RESULTS


On average, results for mood were higher during daylight hours (defined as
between 6am and 6pm) with a maximum at 10am and a minimum at 3am.
Results were reversed when graphed so that positive Y direction denotes
positive mood results.

3.3 DSST RESULTS


Test times varied between 5Min 59Sec and 4Min 42Sec occurring at 10am and
12pm respectively. Results were reversed when graphed so that positive Y
direction denotes an improved time.

3.4 TEMPERATURE NADIR RESULTS


From table 1 it can be seen that the DM (Definitely Morning) group of
participants had the earliest mean time for Temperature Nadir followed by MM
(Moderately Morning), ME (Moderately Evening), DE (Definitely Evening) and
N (Neutral) respectively. Though standard deviations were not included it
should be noted that the N group of participants had the highest standard
deviation.
Table 1, Mean time of temperature Nadir (minimum body temperature) as well as male to female
ratio, mean age and sample size for validation of results. Results were averaged from samples for
2007-2014. Results are recorded for groups of each chronotype.

Sample Size

Mean Age

Male to
Female Ratio

Mean Time of
Temperature
Nadir

32.5

4:9

05:17

37

24.5

13:40

05:49

88

21.8

8:13

07:42

38

22.8

25:34

06:25

24.5

7:4

07:09

Definitely
Morning
Moderately
Morning
Neutral
Moderately
Evening
Definitely
Evening

4 DISCUSSION
4.1 TEMPERATURE
Temperature followed the expected trend found in previous studies, with overall
lower temperatures during night hours, usually correlating with hours of low
physical activity. There was, however a temperature drop at midday, largely
unaccounted for by previous findings (Refinetti & Menaker, 1992, Krauchi & WirzJustice, 1994). This drop was most likely due to the fact that activities at
approximately 11am included being in a spa and sauna at 40 and 70 degrees

Celsius respectively. This has been found to induce increased blood flow as well
as vessel dilation, upon exiting, the body has been found to rapidly cool before
stabilising (Charkoudian, 2003). There was a large cylical component to
temperature fluctuations as the two 24 hour periods of temperatures recorded
correlated with each other. Despite this, a longer duration of testing would be
required to confirm this cyclic pattern.

4.2 MOOD
Mood, having had the strongest correlation to temperature, appeared to follow a
circadian rhythm (Handley et al., 1980). This has been found by previous studies
and has been attributed to the large role the endocrine system plays on mood.
Elements of the endochrine system have been found to not only follow but
regulate circadian cycles (Klein, 2006, Scott & Pope, 2002). Additionally, mood
has been previously correlated with metabolism, and as temperature is largely
effected by metabolic state, this could be another explanation for the correlation.

4.3 DSST
DSST results did not appear to have as strong a correlation with temperature.
Though troughs and peaks appeared to mimic those of temperatures they were
out of phase by approximately two hours. This, however is not likely a significant
result. The large trough present at midday is as a result of the score for the first
test undertaken and was likely a result of not being familiar with the test format.
If this score were normalised, there would be little correlation with temperature.
Though relationship has been found between body temperature and cognitive
performance, this study was not able to validate or support this (Pigeau et al.,
1995, Dijk et al., 1992, Johnson et al., 1992). This is likely due to the inherent
variation in test times as they are effected by factors external to circadian
rhythm components such as stress.

4.4 TEMPERATURE NADIR


Prior research has shown that individuals falling under different chronotypes i.e.
morning person vs evening person, exhibit variations in their circadian cycle
(Kerkhof & Dongen, 1996, Ostenberg, 2007, Froberg, 1977). By looking at the
temperature nadir of chronotypically different individuals, the phase difference
between cycles can be determined.

4.5 LIMITATIONS

AND CONCLUSION
Though overall the experiment performed highlighted a definite circadian rhythm
as well as its correlation to hormone and cognitive controlled states, its
fundamental flaw was found in the fact that all results recorded were either
subjective or fell victim to inaccuracies inherent of the testing method used.
Future research would benefit from using less subjective measures as well as
possibly analysing biochemical results pertaining to mood, as it appeared to
show high correlation in this study.

5 REFERENCES
Charkoudian, N. (2003). Skin Blood Flow in Adult Human Thermoregulation: How
It Works, When It Does Not, and Why. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 78(5), 603-612.
Dijk, D., Duffy J.F. & Czeisler, A. (1992). Circadian and sleep/wake dependent
aspects of subjective alertness and cognitive performance. Journal of Sleep
Research, 1(2), 112-117.
Duffy, J.F., Dijk, D.J., Hall, E.F. & Czeisler, C.A. (1999). Relationship of endogenous
circadian melatonin and termerature rhythms to self-reported preference for
morning or evening activity in young and older people. Journal of Investigative
Medicine, 47(3), 141-150.
Froberg, J.E. (1977). Twenty-four-hour patterns in human performance, subjective
and physiological variables and differences between morning and evening active
subjects. Biological Psychology, 5(2), 119-134.
Handley, S.L., Dunn, T.L., Waldron, G. & Baker, J.M. (1980). Trytophan, cortisol
and puerperal mood. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 136, 498-508.
Johnson, M.P., Duffy, J.F., Dijk, D.J., Ronda, J.M., Dyal, C.M. & Czeisler, C.A. (1992).
Journal of Sleep Research, 1(1), 24-29.
Kerkhof, G.A. & Van Dongen, P.A. (1996). Morning-type and evening-type
individuals in the phase position of their endogenous circadian oscillator.
Neuroscience Letters, 218(2), 153-156.
Klein, D.C. (2006). Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase: the Timezyme. Journal
of Biological Chemestry, 282, 4233-4237.
Krauchi, K. & Wirz-Justice, A. (1994). Circadian rhythm of heat production, heart
rate, and skin and core temperature under unmasking conditions in men.
American Journal of Physiology, 267, 819-829.
Ostberg, O. (1973). Circadian Rhythms of Food Intake and Oral Temperature in
Morning and Evening Groups of Individuals. Ergonomics, 16(2), 203-209.
Pigeau, R., Naitoh, P., Buguet, A., McCann, C., Baranksi, J., Taylor, M., Thompson &
M., Mack, I. Modafinil, d-amphetamine and placebo during 64 hours of sustained
mental work. I. Effects on mood, fatigue, cognitive performance and body
temperature. Journal of Sleep Research, 4(4), 212-228.
Refinetti, R. & Menaker, M. (1992). The circadian rhythm of body temperature.
Physiology & Behaviour, 51(3), 613-637.
Ruhe, H.G., Mason, N.S. & Schene, A.H. (2007). Mood is indirectly related to
serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine levels in humans: a meta-analysis of
monoamine depletion studies. Molecular Psychiatry, 12, 331-359.
Scott, J. & Pope, M. (2002). Nonadherence with mood stabilizers: Prevalence and
predictors. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 63(5), 384-390.
Vuckovic, M.G., Wood, R.I., Holschneider, D.P., Abernathy, A., Togaski, D.M.,
Smith, A., Petzinger, G.M., Jakowec, M.W. (2008). Memory, Mood, Dopamine and

Serotonin in the 1-methyl-4phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophyridine-Lesioned Mouse


Model of Basal Ganglia Injury. Neurobiol Dis., 32(2), 319-327.

6 IDEA EXPERIMENT
By substituting a scaled mood test with an empirical based biochemistry test of
such compounds as dopamine and serotonin, both of which have found to
correlate with mood (Vuckovic et al., 2008, Ruhe et al., 2007). Additionally, the
use of temperature has the inherent inaccuracy of being largely dependent on
metabolism. Whist this could be used to correlate metabolism with the circadian
rhythm, a 48 hour period is not sufficient due to the large variation (Tong, 1976).
Previous studies have found success in using Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase
as it has been shown to regulate melatonin production independent of light
activity. The experiment should ideally take place over at least 5 24 hour periods
(non-consecutive) to ensure cyclic components of data are easily identifiable.

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