Journal of physiology, ParisJun 20, 2017

Circadian rhythms as possible new ways to understand autism

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with sleep disorders and low levels of melatonin.

ASD may result from complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors affecting brain development.
Circadian rhythms, which regulate various physiological processes, could play a role in the etiology of ASD.
Circadian rhythms are generated by genetic feedback loops involving transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1.
Some clock-controlled genes (CCGs) linked to circadian rhythms code for synaptic molecules associated with ASD susceptibility.
Circadian rhythms may influence critical brain development processes over time.

Simplified

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD is probably the result of intricate interactions between genes and environment altering progressively the development of brain structures and functions. Circadian rhythms are a complex intrinsic timing system composed of almost as many clocks as there are body cells. They regulate a variety of physiological and behavioral processes such as the sleep-wake rhythm. ASD is often associated with sleep disorders and low levels of melatonin. This first point raises the hypothesis that circadian rhythms could have an implication in ASD etiology. Moreover, circadian rhythms are generated by auto-regulatory genetic feedback loops, driven by transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1, who drive transcription daily patterns of a wide number of clock-controlled genes (CCGs) in different cellular contexts across tissues. Among these, are some CCGs coding for synapses molecules associated to ASD susceptibility. Furthermore, evidence emerges about circadian rhythms control of time brain development processes.

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Circadian rhythms as possible new ways to understand autism

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