It was previously understood that the brain’s circadian clock, otherwise known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), depends on multiple mechanisms to ensure rhythmic electrical activity that varies between day and night. Yet, this research has clarified that TRESK plays a crucial role in this system. The mechanism was previously unknown.
The study, led by Dr Gurprit Lall at the Medway School of Pharmacy and colleagues at the University of Oxford, investigated the role of TRESK in the brain’s central circadian clock and found that when TRESK levels were reduced the biological rhythm was disrupted.