On optical receivers in the pathway implicated in regulating the human circadian rhythm

Abstract

Biological and mathematical grounding was provided for the mechanism that is responsible for the optical radiation-dependent regulation of the human circadian rhythm that involves the well-known retinal photoreceptors, rods and blue-sensitive cones. It was shown that light-sensitive retinal ganglion cells are unable to act as receivers of optical radiation. Two spectral channels involved in regulating the circadian rhythm were observed in the retino-hypothalamic pathway. An analytical expression for the function of the relative spectral circadian efficiency was obtained for Scalculations and mathematical modeling of the human circadian rhythm.