Circadian Periodicity of Plasma 11-Hydroxycorticosteroid Levels in Subjects with Partial and Absent Light Perception

Abstract

Abnormal circadian patterns of plasma corticosteroid levels were observed in 9 of 12 subjects with total absence of light perception and 5 of 7 subjects with partial absence of light perception secondary to intraocular disease. This abnormality consisted both of elevated levels at given times of day and a lack of reproducibility of the circadian pattern over 2 successive 24-hour periods. In 11 of 13 subjects with abnormal circadian periodicity, an early morning rise in plasma corticosteroid levels still occurred, though in 5 of these 11 subjects this rise occurred somewhat in advance of the usual 8 a.m. peak. This might indicate that the sleep-wake rather than dark-light transition plays a major role in the regulation of this phase of circadian periodicity. There was no correlation between the occurrence of abnormal patterns and either the age of the subject, age at onset or duration of blindness, or the subject’s sleep-activity cycle.