Physiological reviews最新文献

The alpha rhythm, first identified by Hans Berger 100 years ago, is the dominant non-invasive electrophysiological signature of the healthy human brain in the awake state. For decades, it was believed that the alpha rhythm reflected rest or idling; however, this perspective changed in the 2000s when researchers found that alpha oscillations increase with cognitive demands. This discovery led to a paradigm shift, demonstrating that alpha oscillations reflect the functional inhibition of brain regions that are not needed for a specific task, thereby directing information to task-specific areas. We have reviewed the physiological mechanisms involved in generating alpha oscillations, which has informed computational models explaining how these oscillations emerge within physiologically realistic networks. At the behavioural level, alpha oscillations are strongly modulated across nearly all cognitive paradigms tested in humans, reflecting the allocation of computational resources within the active brain network. Research in individuals with attention-related issues has highlighted their impaired ability to modulate alpha oscillations, which is associated with performance deficits. Therefore, further exploration of alpha oscillations has the potential to uncover causal mechanisms underlying attention problems, such as those related to ADHD and ageing. Lastly, advancements in technology are opening new avenues for characterising alpha oscillations in ecologically valid settings and across the lifespan. This progress sets the stage for exploring the role of alpha oscillations in cognitive development and their functioning in natural environments.

Circadian rhythms, governed by the body's endogenous clock mechanism, regulate daily fluctuations in cardiovascular function, optimizing physiological processes like blood pressure regulation, cardiac metabolism, and myocardial repair. Rhythms also align cardiovascular reactivity with predictable environmental and behavioral cycles, enabling normal function and affecting disease susceptibility. Major adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, and stroke, exhibit a distinct morning peak, highlighting circadian regulation in cardiovascular health. Controlled human laboratory studies demonstrate that beyond the influences of sleep and other behaviors, endogenous circadian rhythms independently regulate blood pressure, autonomic nervous system activity, blood clotting, vascular tone, and metabolic function. Additionally, the kidney plays a critical role in circadian sodium handling, fluid balance, and blood pressure control, with disruptions in renal circadian rhythms contributing to hypertension and progression to heart failure. Chronic circadian misalignment resulting from shift work, irregular sleep-wake cycles, or misaligned lifestyle habits is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular risk and disease progression. The emerging field of Circadian Medicine applies circadian principles to clinical care, leveraging interventions such as optimizing light exposure, meal timing, and physical activity to restore biological alignment. Chronotherapy, the strategic timing of medications or procedures to align with a patient's diurnal or circadian rhythms, offers further potential for enhancing treatments and reducing adverse effects. By integrating circadian biology into cardiovascular medicine, novel strategies are emerging to help prevent disease, improve patient outcomes, and enhance therapeutic precision. Understanding the interplay between circadian regulation and cardiovascular physiology provides a foundation for advancing cardiovascular prevention and treatment strategies.