- E-mailJelena.Mrdalj@uib.no
- Phone+47 55 58 60 83
- Visitor AddressJonas Liesvei 915009 BergenRoom9th floor, Bygg for biologiske basalfag (BBB)
- Postal AddressPostboks 78075020 Bergen
Association between stress across life and changes in sleep and circadian rhythms, with a translational perspective (animal models and human studies).
I investigate different early life conditions and consequences for health later in life (sleep, circadian rhythms, behavior and cognition), and which factors can moderate the effects of adverse early life events.
Another research focus is on consequences of nightshift-work for sleep, circadian rhythms and waking function. One of the main goals is to investigate how different lighting conditions can be used to alleviate sleepiness and improve cognitive function during nightshift-work and to identify molecular mechanisms.
Methods:
Animal models
- Objective measures of sleep and waking function
- Objective measures of circadian rhythmicity
- Electrophysiology
- Polysomnography
- Behavioural tests
Human studies
- Subjective and objective measures of sleep and waking function
- Subjective and objective measures of circadian rhythmicity
- Polysomnography
- Cognitive tests
Normal barin development (in Norwegian)
Journal SLEEP, p.14-15
Sommer school in circadian rhythms and sleep (in Norwegian)
Journal SLEEP, p.35-37
What happens with sleep in adolescents and how can we teach about the importance of sleep (in Norwegian)
Journal SLEEP, p.18-22
Course coordinator:
- Behaviour, health and nutrition PSYK140
Other courses:
- Biological psychology PROPSY303
- Circadian rhythms, sleep and behavior PSYK115
- Development, cognitive and biological psychology PSYK114
- Circadian rhythms and sleep their role in mental and physical health, safety and productivity (NRSN summer school 2017)
Some topics thet I teach:
- Neuroanatomi/physiology
- Development of nervous system
- Nutrition and brain function
- Sleep across species
- Sleep and circadian rhythms across life span
- Stress regulation
Academic article
- (2023). Physical Exercise and Serum BDNF Levels: Accounting for the Val66Met Polymorphism in Older Adults. Cognitive and behavioral neurology.
- (2022). Sleep homeostasis and night work: a polysomnographic study of daytime sleep following three consecutive simulated night shifts. Nature and Science of Sleep. 243-254.
- (2022). Bright light exposure during simulated night work improves cognitive flexibility. Chronobiology International. 948-963.
- (2020). Role of nocturnal light intensity on adaptation to three consecutive night shifts: a counterbalanced crossover study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 249-255.
- (2020). Cognitive function and brain plasticity in a rat model of shift work: role of daily rhythms, sleep and glucocorticoids. Scientific Reports.
- (2020). Blue-enriched white light improves performance but not subjective alertness and circadian adaptation during three consecutive simulated night shifts. Frontiers in Psychology. 1-16.
- (2020). Alerting and Circadian Effects of Short-Wavelength vs. Long-Wavelength Narrow-Bandwidth Light during a Simulated Night Shift. Clocks & Sleep. 502-522.
- (2018). Mathematical modeling of sleep state dynamics in a rodent model of shift work. Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms. 37-51.
- (2018). Can night shift workers benefit from light exposure? Journal of Physiology.
- (2017). No escaping the rat race: simulated night shift work alters the time-of-day variation in BMAL1 translational activity in the prefrontal cortex. Frontiers in Neural Circuits. 1-12.
- (2017). Age and sex differences in bedroom habits and bedroom preferences. Sleep Medicine. 157-161.
- (2016). Shift in food intake and changes in metabolic regulation and gene expression during simulated night-shiftwork: A rat model. Nutrients. 1-13.
- (2016). Mild daily stressors in adulthood may counteract behavioural effects after constant presence of mother during early life. Physiology and Behavior. 313-321.
- (2016). Lentiviral HSV-Tk.007-mediated suicide gene therapy is not toxic for normal brain cells. Journal of Gene Medicine. 234-243.
- (2016). Implication of NOTCH1 Gene in Susceptibility to Anxiety and Depression among Sexual Abuse Victims. Translational Psychiatry.
- (2016). A rodent model of night-shift work induces short-term and enduring sleep and electroencephalographic disturbances. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 48-63.
- (2014). Hypothermia after chronic mild stress exposure in rats with a history of postnatal maternal separations. Chronobiology International. 252-264.
- (2014). Effects of social defeat on sleep and behaviour: Importance of the confrontational behaviour. Physiology and Behavior. 54-63.
- (2013). Early and later life stress alter brain activity and sleep in rats. PLOS ONE.
- (2012). Neonatal maternal separation in male rats increases intestinal permeability and affects behavior after chronic social stress. Physiology and Behavior. 1058-1066.
- (2012). English title: The prevalence of sexual abuse in a Norwegian representative population sample. . Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening. 950-957.
- (2011). Remote postconditioning by humoral factors in effluent from ischemic preconditioned rat hearts is mediated via PI3K/Akt-dependent cell-survival signaling at reperfusion. Basic Research in Cardiology. 135-145.
Academic lecture
- (2022). Reversal learning and working memory scanning task performance improve with bright light exposure during simulated night work: a counterbalanced crossover study.
- (2019). Effects of Different Light Intensities on Adaptation to Simulated Night Shifts: A Randomized Counterbalanced Crossover Study.
- (2016). Simulated night work alters clock gene expression in central and peripheral tissue in rats.
- (2016). Implication of NOTCH1 Gene in Comorbid Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in a Sample of Sexual Abuse Victims.
- (2015). Night work - disturbances in sleep and circadian rhythm parameters. An animal model.
- (2013). Hypothermia after chronic mild stress exposure in rats with ahistory of postnatal maternal separation.
- (2013). Early and later life stress in rats. Effects on sleep EEG and circadian rhythmicity.
- (2011). Lower brain activity during sleep and wakefullnes; induced by exposure to long maternal separation and chronic mild stress in rats.
- (2011). Experiences with the 4ET transmitters in telemetric measurement of EEG, EMG, body temperature and motor activity in male rats exposed to early and later life stress.
- (2011). Early and later life stress leads to a lower brain activity during sleep and wakefulness in rats.
- (2011). Chronic mild stress potentiates a lower brain activity during sleep and wakefulness in rats exposed to long maternal separation.
- (2010). Early Life Stress and the effect on circadian rhythmicity. The mother - infant relationship in rats as model.
- (2009). Rhythms, sleep and biology after maternal separations. The mother – infant relationship.
Masters thesis
- (2006). Meaning of motivation and spontaneous exploration for the firing properties of place cells in CA1 area of hippocampus: electrophysiological study in freely-moving rats.
Popular scientific article
- (2018). Kan man spise seg til bedre søvn? SØVN. 26-29.
- (2016). Årets publikasjon 2015. SØVN. 5.
- (2016). Hva skjer med søvn hos ungdom og hvordan kan vi lære dem at søvn er viktig? SØVN. 18-22.
- (2016). Basalforskning på WorldSleep konferansen 2015. SØVN. 37.
- (2016). Basalforskning på ESRS 2016. SØVN. 31.
Doctoral dissertation
- (2014). The early life condition. Importance for sleep, circadian rhythmicity, behaviour and response to later life challenges.
Interview
- (2016). tips for å sovne raskere.
- (2016). Slik får du sove i ferien.
- (2016). Om å sove ute.
- (2016). Om søvn i ferien hos barn.
- (2016). Om sene kvelder og lyse netter på sommeren.
- (2016). Om lyse netter og søvn.
- (2016). Om det å sove ut i helgene.
- (2016). Derfor sover du dårlig første natten hjemmefra.
Abstract
- (2016). Use of electronic media in bed and reading in bed after bedtime – Age and sex differences in a representative adult population. Journal of Sleep Research. 377-377.
- (2016). Simulated night work alters clock gene expression in central and peripheral tissue in rats. Journal of Sleep Research. 57-57.
- (2016). A rat model for shiftwork: Effects on sleep architecture and sleep homeostasis. Journal of Sleep Research. 248-249.
- (2012). Sleep architecture, behaviour, corticosterone and acoustic startle response after double exposure to social defeat in rats. Journal of Sleep Research. 212-212.
Poster
- (2018). Prolonged photoperiod alters time in sleep and slow-wave activity. The impact of blue-enriched light.
- (2018). Extending the photoperiod impacts circadian rhythmicity and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and retina- Impact of exposure to blue-enriched light. .
- (2018). Extended photoperiod alters sleep and expression of synaptic plasticity-associated genes. The impact of blue-enriched light.
- (2018). Extended photoperiod alters circadian rhythmicity and expression of neuroplasticity markers. The impact of blue-enriched light.
- (2018). Effects of bright light on sleepiness and cognitive performance during simulated night shift work.
- (2018). Daytime sleep following night shifts- impact of light intensity.
- (2018). Daytime sleep following bright light exposure during simulated night shift work.
- (2018). Bright light exposure during simulated night shift work- impact on daytime sleep.
- (2016). Use of electronic media in bed and reading in bed after bedtime – Age and sex differences in a representative adult population.
- (2016). A rat model for shiftwork: Effects on sleep architecture and sleep homeostasis.
- (2013). Effects of Social Defeat on sleep and behaviour: The importance of the confrontational behaviour.
- (2012). Sleep Architecture, Behaviour, Corticosterone and Acoustic Startle Response after Double Exposure to Social Defeat in Rats.
- (2012). Early life stress modulates responses to chronic stress later in life; affective and behavioural outcomes in rats.
- (2011). Short- and long- term effects on sleep architecture, behaviour, corticosterone and acoustic startle response after two exposures to social defeat in rats.
- (2011). Animal model of early and later life stress alters body temperature rhythm and induces depression-like symptoms.
- (2010). Chronic social stress increases colonic permeability in rats postnatally exposed to long maternal separation.
- (2010). Chronic mild stress alters body temperature rhythm and induces depression-like symptoms in rats postnatally exposed to long maternal separations.
- (2010). Chronic mild stress alters body temperature rhythm and induces depression-like symptoms in rats postnatally exposed to long maternal separation.
- (2010). Altered Body Temperature Rhythm and Depression-like Symptoms following Early and Later Life Stress in Rats.
- (2010). A study of long-term effects on body temperature rhythm after two exposures to social defeat in rats.
Article in business/trade/industry journal
- (2013). Normal utvikling av hjernen. SØVN. 14-15.
Chapter
- (2021). Animal models for psychological disorders. 615-631. In:
- (2021). Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science : Essential Principles and Practices. 4th ed. CRC Press.
More information in national current research information system (CRIStin)
2015-2017: Associate proffesor - substitute, Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, UiB
2014-2017: Advisor. Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital
2010-2014: PhD, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen
2008-2009: Trainee in sleep research, Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital
2004-2006: MSc, human physiology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen
Fields of competence