Spectral control of illumination for accelerated physiological adjustment to shift work

从长远来看，夜间工作可能会导致严重的健康损害，并可能促进恶性肿瘤的生长。这个过程中的决定性因素是时间上的干扰以及光诱导的褪黑素合成的抑制。因此，本申请的重点是在单夜班工作时或在工作更长的夜班或永久夜班时维持褪黑激素的合成，将褪黑激素的产生连续转移到白天睡眠。与以前的研究相反，这种效果不是通过改变光强度来实现的，而是通过控制光的光谱成分(色温)的变化来实现的。考虑到视觉性能，这些变化将限于白光的光谱组成。在这些前提条件下，将对16名色觉正常的年轻人进行实验，以检验7种预先选择的光谱对视觉表现的影响。对褪黑素合成的影响将在实验中测试，每个实验超过6个小时(20：00到02：00)。根据结果，将选择两个光谱，一个具有高褪黑激素抑制，另一个具有低褪黑激素抑制(高/低蓝份额)用于进一步的实验。将开发一种特殊的控制方法，将两种光谱相互转换。接下来的实验将再次完成，对象是16名色觉正常的健康年轻人。为了在单个夜班期间保持褪黑激素的合成，最初褪黑激素抑制较低的灯光将在夜班结束时转换为褪黑素抑制较高的灯光。在连续两个晚上，褪黑素图谱将被确定为半小时的唾液样本(22：00至06：00)，第一个晚上的基本图谱(30勒克斯)，第二个晚上在灯光情景和实验轮班工作的影响下。更长的夜间轮班时间需要褪黑激素连续转换到白天睡眠。对于这种最初具有高褪黑激素抑制的光，将在连续3个夜班期间(在4点后的第一个夜班中，在随后的1或2小时后的夜班中)转换为具有低褪黑激素抑制的光。在三个工作班次之前和之后，将使用24小时阶段评估程序来量化相移。褪黑素的图谱将通过每小时的唾液样本来确定。为了在照明技术和医学的交界处完成这项基础研究，莱布尼茨学院(Leibniz-Institutes für Arbeitsforschung)(多特蒙德)和等离子体与技术研究所(Greifswald)的成员进行了这项应用。

In the long run night work can contribute to the genesis of serious health impairments and probably promote the growth of malignant tumors. Decisive elements in this process are the chronodisruption along with light-induced suppression of melatonin synthesis. This application focuses therefore on the maintenance of melatonin synthesis while working single night shifts or while working longer night shift periods or permanent night shifts on the successive shift of melatonin production into day sleep. Contrary to former studies this effect will be achieved not by alterations of light intensity but by controlled variations of the spectral composition (colour temperature) of light. In consideration of visual performance these variations will be limited to the spectral composition of white light. Following these preconditions the effects of seven pre-selected light spectra on visual performance will be examined experimentally with 16 young persons with normal colour vision. The effect on melatonin synthesis will be tested in experiments over 6 hours each (20:00 to 02:00). Based on the results two spectra, one with high and one with low melatonin suppression (high/low blue-share) will be selected for further experiments. A special control will be developed that converts both spectra into each other.The following experiments will be again completed with 16 healthy young persons with normal colour vision. To maintain melatonin synthesis during single night shifts light with initially low melatonin suppression will be converted at the end of the night shift into light with high melatonin suppression. In two consecutive nights melatonin profiles will be ascertained with half-hourly saliva samples (22:00 to 06:00), the basic profile in the first night (30 lux), in the second night under the impact of the light scenario and experimental shift work. Longer lasting night shift periods require the successive shift of the melatonin profile into day sleep. For this light with initially high melatonin suppression will be during 3 consecutive night shifts converted (in the first night shift after 4, in the following night shifts 1 or 2 hours later) into light with low melatonin suppression. The phase shift will be quantified with 24hour Phase Assessment Procedures before and after the three work shifts. The melatonin profile will be ascertained with hourly saliva samples. During all night shifts salivary melatonin concentrations, visual and cognitive performance and fatigue will be ascertained hourly.To accomplish this basic research at the interface between lighting technology and medicine this application is made by members of the Leibniz-Institutes für Arbeitsforschung (Dortmund) and Plasmaforschung und Technologie (Greifswald).