{"id":96383,"date":"2026-02-26T15:59:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/scientists-discover-clockwork-gears-of-mood-2"},"modified":"2026-02-26T16:33:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T16:33:38","slug":"scientists-discover-clockwork-gears-of-mood-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/scientists-discover-clockwork-gears-of-mood-2","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Discover Clockwork Gears of Mood"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>Scientists have identified a genetic factor that causes mood deterioration in the winter. The factor, which \u201cregulates\u201d a person\u2019s mood depending on sleep patterns, daylight hours, and other factors, was discovered by researchers at Tyumen State Medical University (TyumSMU) as part of an international scientific team.<\/p>\n

The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.<\/p>\n

In winter, as the days shorten, the body\u2019s internal clock gets out of sync. The body starts to misinterpret the time of day, leading many people to feel a lack of energy and mood deterioration. However, as soon as our \u201cbiological sensors\u201d start receiving more light, psychological well-being improves, explained scientists at Tyumen State Medical University (Russian Ministry of Health).<\/p>\n

Researchers from the university, along with scientists from Petrozavodsk, Syktyvkar, Novosibirsk, as well as from Germany, the United States, and Switzerland, identified the light-sensing gene (REV-ERB\u03b1), which regulates not only mood and sleep based on lighting but also sugar metabolism, immune function, and inflammatory responses.<\/p>\n

This gene could become a target for new medications for winter depression, as well as for reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes, explained Professor Denis Gubin, head of the Chronobiology Laboratory at the University Research Institute of Biomedical Technologies at TyumSMU.<\/p>\n

\u201cREV-ERB\u03b1 is not the \u2018main clockmaker\u2019; it is the \u2018gray cardinal\u2019 of biological clocks: it doesn\u2019t start the mechanism, but governs most aspects of its function. This gene acts like a secret advisor: it subtly regulates sleep, metabolism, immunity, inflammation, and even mood, coordinating the activity of four main clock genes (CLOCK, BMAL1, PER, CRY). Without it, biological clocks function like a clock without gears: they can run, but incorrectly. This is why it is called the \u2018gray cardinal\u2019 \u2014 it operates in the background, but solves many tasks of the clock genes,\u201d explained Gubin.<\/p>\n

REV-ERB\u03b1research is primarily conducted on laboratory animals worldwide, but the TyumSMU team, along with colleagues, conducted one of the first studies on a group of people living in extreme light conditions in the Arctic region, said Gubin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that it\u2019s not only the amount of REV-ERB\u03b1, but also its rhythm that matters. Further research is needed to study its activity dynamics throughout the day. This depends on the light regimen and the alternation of physical activity and sleep. Simple measures can help combat seasonal psychological stress: morning light and dark nights can already be effective and free therapy. We\u2019re not suggesting treating depression as a \u2018symptom\u2019 \u2014 the goal is to restore the biological clocks underlying it,\u201d clarified Ivan Petrov, rector of TyumSMU and head of the university\u2019s chronobiology research projects.<\/p>\n

The study was supported by the Tyumen Region Administration as part of the West Siberian Interregional Scientific and Educational Center grant.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. Scientists have identified a genetic factor that causes mood deterioration in the winter. The factor, which \u201cregulates\u201d a person\u2019s mood depending on sleep patterns, daylight hours, and other factors, was discovered by researchers at Tyumen State Medical University (TyumSMU) as part of an international scientific team. The findings were published in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":96382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,9],"tags":[275],"class_list":["post-96383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-miscellaneous","tag-south-africa-2"],"yoast_head":"\nScientists Discover Clockwork Gears of Mood - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Scientists have identified a genetic factor that causes mood deterioration in the winter. 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