Dr. Manuel Spitschan
PhD, Psychologist
Publications
2021 |
Spitschan, M; Garbazza, C; Kohl, S; Cajochen, C Sleep and circadian phenotype in people without cone-mediated vision: a case series of five CNGB3 and two CNGA3 patients Journal Article Brain Communications, 2021. @article{Spitschan2021, title = {Sleep and circadian phenotype in people without cone-mediated vision: a case series of five CNGB3 and two CNGA3 patients}, author = {M. Spitschan and C. Garbazza and S. Kohl and C. Cajochen}, url = {http://www.chronobiology.ch/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/fcab159.pdf}, doi = {10.1093/braincomms/fcab159}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-07-18}, journal = {Brain Communications}, abstract = {Light exposure entrains the circadian clock through the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which sense light in addition to the cone and rod photoreceptors. In congenital achromatopsia (prevalence 1:30–50 000), the cone system is non-functional, resulting in severe light avoidance and photophobia at daytime light levels. How this condition affects circadian and neuroendocrine responses to light is not known. In this case series of genetically confirmed congenital achromatopsia patients (n = 7; age 30–72 years; 6 women, 1 male), we examined survey-assessed sleep/circadian phenotype, self-reported visual function, sensitivity to light and use of spectral filters that modify chronic light exposure. In all but one patient, we measured rest-activity cycles using actigraphy over 3 weeks and measured the melatonin phase angle of entrainment using the dim-light melatonin onset. Owing to their light sensitivity, congenital achromatopsia patients used filters to reduce retinal illumination. Thus, congenital achromatopsia patients experienced severely attenuated light exposure. In aggregate, we found a tendency to a late chronotype. We found regular rest-activity patterns in all patients and normal phase angles of entrainment in participants with a measurable dim-light melatonin onset. Our results reveal that a functional cone system and exposure to daytime light intensities are not necessary for regular behavioural and hormonal entrainment, even when survey-assessed sleep and circadian phenotype indicated a tendency for a late chronotype and sleep problems in our congenital achromatopsia cohort.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Light exposure entrains the circadian clock through the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which sense light in addition to the cone and rod photoreceptors. In congenital achromatopsia (prevalence 1:30–50 000), the cone system is non-functional, resulting in severe light avoidance and photophobia at daytime light levels. How this condition affects circadian and neuroendocrine responses to light is not known. In this case series of genetically confirmed congenital achromatopsia patients (n = 7; age 30–72 years; 6 women, 1 male), we examined survey-assessed sleep/circadian phenotype, self-reported visual function, sensitivity to light and use of spectral filters that modify chronic light exposure. In all but one patient, we measured rest-activity cycles using actigraphy over 3 weeks and measured the melatonin phase angle of entrainment using the dim-light melatonin onset. Owing to their light sensitivity, congenital achromatopsia patients used filters to reduce retinal illumination. Thus, congenital achromatopsia patients experienced severely attenuated light exposure. In aggregate, we found a tendency to a late chronotype. We found regular rest-activity patterns in all patients and normal phase angles of entrainment in participants with a measurable dim-light melatonin onset. Our results reveal that a functional cone system and exposure to daytime light intensities are not necessary for regular behavioural and hormonal entrainment, even when survey-assessed sleep and circadian phenotype indicated a tendency for a late chronotype and sleep problems in our congenital achromatopsia cohort. |
2020 |
Spitschan, M; Schmidt, Marlene H; Blume, C Transparency and open science principles in reporting guidelines in sleep research and chronobiology journals Journal Article Wellcome Open Research, 2020. @article{Spitschan2020, title = {Transparency and open science principles in reporting guidelines in sleep research and chronobiology journals}, author = {M. Spitschan and Marlene H. Schmidt and C. Blume}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16111.1}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-07-20}, journal = {Wellcome Open Research}, abstract = {Background: "Open science" is an umbrella term describing various aspects of transparent and open science practices. The adoption of practices at different levels of the scientific process (e.g., individual researchers, laboratories, institutions) has been rapidly changing the scientific research landscape in the past years, but their uptake differs from discipline to discipline. Here, we asked to what extent journals in the field of sleep research and chronobiology encourage or even require following transparent and open science principles in their author guidelines. Methods: We scored the author guidelines of a comprehensive set of 28 sleep and chronobiology journals, including the major outlets in the field, using the standardised Transparency and Openness (TOP) Factor. This instrument rates the extent to which journals encourage or require following various aspects of open science, including data citation, data transparency, analysis code transparency, materials transparency, design and analysis guidelines, study pre-registration, analysis plan pre-registration, replication, registered reports, and the use of open science badges. Results: Across the 28 journals, we find low values on the TOP Factor (median [25th, 75th percentile] 2.5 [1, 3], min. 0, max. 9, out of a total possible score of 28) in sleep research and chronobiology journals. Conclusions: Our findings suggest an opportunity for sleep research and chronobiology journals to further support the recent developments in transparent and open science by implementing transparency and openness principles in their guidelines and making adherence to them mandatory.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Background: "Open science" is an umbrella term describing various aspects of transparent and open science practices. The adoption of practices at different levels of the scientific process (e.g., individual researchers, laboratories, institutions) has been rapidly changing the scientific research landscape in the past years, but their uptake differs from discipline to discipline. Here, we asked to what extent journals in the field of sleep research and chronobiology encourage or even require following transparent and open science principles in their author guidelines. Methods: We scored the author guidelines of a comprehensive set of 28 sleep and chronobiology journals, including the major outlets in the field, using the standardised Transparency and Openness (TOP) Factor. This instrument rates the extent to which journals encourage or require following various aspects of open science, including data citation, data transparency, analysis code transparency, materials transparency, design and analysis guidelines, study pre-registration, analysis plan pre-registration, replication, registered reports, and the use of open science badges. Results: Across the 28 journals, we find low values on the TOP Factor (median [25th, 75th percentile] 2.5 [1, 3], min. 0, max. 9, out of a total possible score of 28) in sleep research and chronobiology journals. Conclusions: Our findings suggest an opportunity for sleep research and chronobiology journals to further support the recent developments in transparent and open science by implementing transparency and openness principles in their guidelines and making adherence to them mandatory. |
2019 |
Spitschan, M; Lazar, R; Yetik, E; Cajochen, C No evidence for an S cone contribution to acute neuroendocrine and alerting responses to light Journal Article Current Biology, 2019. @article{Spitschan2019d, title = {No evidence for an S cone contribution to acute neuroendocrine and alerting responses to light}, author = {M. Spitschan and R. Lazar and E. Yetik and C. Cajochen }, url = {https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)31501-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982219315015%3Fshowall%3Dtrue}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.031}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-12-16}, journal = {Current Biology}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Spitschan, M; Lazar, R; Cajochen, C Visual and non-visual properties of filters manipulating short-wavelength light Journal Article Ophthalmic Physiol Opt, 2019. @article{Spitschan2019f, title = {Visual and non-visual properties of filters manipulating short-wavelength light}, author = {M. Spitschan and R. Lazar and C. Cajochen}, url = {http://www.chronobiology.ch/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Spitschan_et_al-2019-Ophthalmic_and_Physiological_Optics-1.pdf}, doi = {10.1111/opo.12648}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-11-01}, journal = {Ophthalmic Physiol Opt}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |