Dictionary > Zeitgeber

Zeitgeber

Definition
noun, plural: zeitgebers
An external or environmental cue that helps regulate biological clock that drives biological rhythms
Supplement
Biological rhythms such as circadian rhythms, diurnal rhythms, ultradian rhythms, and infradian rhythms pertain to the synchronized cyclic pattern demonstrated by an organism as its response to a particular stimulus. Biological clock that synchronizes with biological rhythm may be endogenous (internal or from within) or exogenous (external cue, such as zeitgeber).1 The term zeitgeber was coined by Jürgen Aschoff, a chronobiologist. He demonstrated how the internal biological clock drives biological rhythms.
Some of the examples of zeitgebers are light, temperature, eating or drinking patterns, etc. These external cues help the internal biological clock to be consistent with the rhythmic cycle. This process wherein the rhythmic events match the period to an environmental oscillation is called entrainment. For example, exposure to daylight (or blue light) at the wrong time may disrupt the quality of sleep since melatonin is produced usually at night (darkness). The duration of melatonin production is affected by the differing duration of nighttime. Melatonin is a hormone involved in sleep-wake timing and many other physiological mechanisms such as blood pressure regulation, seasonal reproduction, etc.
Word origin: German zeit ‎(“time”) + geber ‎(“giver”)
See also:

Reference(s):

1 Hedge, A. (2013). Biological Rhythms. Retrieved from ://ergo.human.cornell.edu/studentdownloads/dea3250pdfs/biorhythms.pdf


You will also like...

Hormone Production
Hormone Production

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by specialized glands and they were produced by switching on the genes designe..

Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung
Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung

In this tutorial, the works of Carl Gustav Jung and Sigmund Freud are described. Both of them actively pursued the way h..

Genetic engineering
Genetic Engineering Advantages & Disadvantages

This tutorial presents the benefits and the possible adverse eventualities of genetic engineering. Know more about this ..

Human gastrointestinal tract
Human Biology – Food and Digestion

This tutorial recognizes the importance of food as a source of energy that will fuel many biological processes. A good d..

Angle Oak Tree
Seed Plants

Seed plants are vascular plants. They differ from the other vascular plants in producing seeds that germinate into a new..

Cell structure
Cell Structure

A typical eukaryotic cell is comprised of cytoplasm with different organelles, such as nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, G..

Related Articles...

No related articles found

See all Related Topics