Fig. 7: Chronotype, human brain physiology and cognition. | Nature Communications

Fig. 7: Chronotype, human brain physiology and cognition.

From: Cognitive functions and underlying parameters of human brain physiology are associated with chronotype

Fig. 7

a A schematic illustration depicting the converging impact of chronotype on brain physiology, behavior, and cognition. b Proposed mechanism of the neuroplasticity induction at circadian-preferred and non-preferred time based on the association between intracellular calcium concentration (x axis) and induction of tDCS-induced neuroplastic changes. Gradual enhancement of calcium concentration can either induce LTD, LTP, or no plasticity. The LTP-like plasticity induced by tDCS is linked to higher intracellular calcium concentration while LTD-like plasticity induced by tDCS is linked to a lower intracellular calcium concentration. It can be assumed that intracellular calcium concentration at the optimal time of the day is at an optimal level leading to stronger tDCS-induced LTP/D-like plasticity. This would be at least partially related to the higher glutamatergic and lower GABAergic activation at the circadian-preferred time, shown by cortical excitability data. LTP   long-term potentiation, LTD   long-term depression.

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