BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS IN MEDICINE AND PSYCHIATRY: SHOCK-PHASE HYPOTHESIS

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Abstract
Human beings harbor many clocks[long dash]far more than hitherto has been suspected, most of which manifest their presence only under pathological conditions. These clocks may manifest their presence either through physical signs or symptoms, involving in one individual or another almost every organ of the body, or in primarily mental and emotional symptoms, involving almost every form of abnormal behavior, or mood, and thinking. The clocks show an apparent degree of independence of all external physical influences[long dash]temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, etc.[long dash]as well as of day-to-day emotional situations or disturbances, and so depend on inherent mechanisms. These various clocks keep time in units that range in length from 12 hours to several years; but for each clock the units tend to remain quite constant. Our records indicate the existence of three types of clocks: L Peripheral[long dash]those in the blood-forming tissues in the bone marrow, etc. II. Central[long dash]those in the brain, particularly in the hypothalamus and reticular formation. III. Homeostatic[long dash]those mechanisms involving target organs, endocrine glands, the pituitary, and hypothalamus. A "shock-phase" hypothesis in agreement with the observed clinical phenomena has been proposed to explain how the clocks work. It is assumed that the functioning units of every organ of the body[long dash]cells, follicles, neurons, glomeruli, etc.[long dash]have an inherent cycle, characteristic of the organ. Under normal conditions these units of any given tissue function out of phase; under abnormal conditions they may function in phase, thus disclosing the length of the inherent cycle of the organ. The units may be put in phase by shock, trauma, allergy, etc.; similarly, they may be put out of phase again by a variety of agents and forms of treatment Patients with cyclic phenomena offer an excellent opportunity for the study of the physiology of individual organs as well as of the functioning of the total organism, particularly as seen in various abnormal mental and emotional conditions.