Prof. Linda Petzold leads team research on the architecture of circadian neurons

Our circadian rhythms are responsible for the adaptation of our bodies to cycles of light and dark. One need only to experience a bout of jetlag to appreciate how we resynchronize various bodily functions to a new time zone.

Computer Science Professor Linda Petzold wanted to better understand the structure of the network of brain cells as they communicate to control the synchronization process. In a paper that appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, UC Santa Barbara researchers and collaborators reveal new insights into circadian neurons. Their work infers the architecture of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the control center for the circadian processes in mammals.