Light-at-night, circadian disruption and breast cancer: assessment of existing evidence
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TLDR
If a consensus eventually emerges that LAN does increase risk, then the mechanisms for the effect are important to elucidate for intervention and mitigation and will provide for the development of lighting technologies at home and at work that minimize circadian disruption, while maintaining visual efficiency and aesthetics.Abstract:
Background Breast cancer incidence is increasing globally for largely unknown reasons. The possibility that a portion of the breast cancer burden might be explained by the introduction and increasing use of electricity to light the night was suggested >20 years ago.
Methods The theory is based on nocturnal light-induced disruption of circadian rhythms, notably reduction of melatonin synthesis. It has formed the basis for a series of predictions including that non-day shift work would increase risk, blind women would be at lower risk, long sleep duration would lower risk and community nighttime light level would co-distribute with breast cancer incidence on the population level.
Results Accumulation of epidemiological evidence has accelerated in recent years, reflected in an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification of shift work as a probable human carcinogen (2A). There is also a strong rodent model in support of the light-at-night (LAN) idea.
Conclusion If a consensus eventually emerges that LAN does increase risk, then the mechanisms for the effect are important to elucidate for intervention and mitigation. The basic understanding of phototransduction for the circadian system, and of the molecular genetics of circadian rhythm generation are both advancing rapidly, and will provide for the development of lighting technologies at home and at work that minimize circadian disruption, while maintaining visual efficiency and aesthetics. In the interim, there are strategies now available to reduce the potential for circadian disruption, which include extending the daily dark period, appreciate nocturnal awakening in the dark, using dim red light for nighttime necessities, and unless recommended by a physician, not taking melatonin tablets.read more
Citations
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Exposure to light at night (LAN) and risk of obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
TL;DR: Exposure to LAN was reported to be a significant risk factor for overweight and obesity, with higher exposure to LAN being positively associated with poorer weight outcomes.
Journal ArticleDOI
Outdoor light at night and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the NIH-AARP diet and health study.
Qian Xiao,Peter James,Patrick Breheny,Peng Jia,Yikyung Park,Dong Zhang,Jared A. Fisher,Mary H. Ward,Rena R. Jones +8 more
TL;DR: Higher outdoor LAN exposure may be a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer, and the relationship between LAN and breast cancer risk may differ by individual characteristics, such as smoking, alcohol drinking, sleep duration and BMI, and neighborhood environment.
Journal ArticleDOI
Outdoor light at night at residences and breast cancer risk in Canada.
Jennifer Ritonja,Michael A. McIsaac,Michael A. McIsaac,Eric Sanders,Christopher C. M. Kyba,Christopher C. M. Kyba,Anne Grundy,Emilie Cordina-Duverger,John J. Spinelli,Kristan J. Aronson +9 more
TL;DR: No association was found between residential outdoor LAN and breast cancer for either measure of LAN when considering interactions for menopausal status and past/current night work status, consistent with studies reporting that outdoor LAN has a small effect or no effect on breast cancer risk.
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The Glymphatic System in Diabetes-Induced Dementia.
TL;DR: It is highlighted that the enhancement of the glymphatic system function during sleep may be beneficial to the attenuation of neuropathology in diabetes-induced dementia and it is suggested that improving glymphatics system activity may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention of diabetes- induced dementia.
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Smart Desks to Promote Comfort, Health, and Productivity in Offices: A Vision for Future Workplaces
TL;DR: The smart desk can learn individual user preferences for the indoor environment, personalize the environment based on user preferences, and act as an intelligent support system for improving user comfort, health and productivity.
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