Annals of neurosciences
August 20, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Decoding of Nocturnal Fasting and Health: Possible Role of Zeitgebers and Melatonin.
Aggarwal N, Magan D, Sharma TK, Yadav RK.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
The authors propose a conceptual model linking nocturnal fasting, light-dark cues and melatonin to health.
What was studied
A hypothesis-based conceptual review of nocturnal fasting and chronobiology.
Key findings
- Proposes zeitgebers and meal timing as tools for metabolic health
- Suggests chronotherapeutic potential for chronic disease prevention
Clinical relevance
Conceptual model without empirical testing; no clinical recommendations can be drawn.
Who should care
Limitations
Hypothesis paper without new data.
Meal timing and light cues may matter for health, pending research.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Background
In today's digital era, studies have shown that fasting is an important physiological intervention for weight loss, exerting beneficial effects on physical and mental health, as well as cognitive performance. However, until now, few theoretical frameworks for nocturnal fasting have been proposed and are still not completely elucidated.
Summary
Based on previous studies' observations, the present authors have proposed a hypothesis-based conceptual model of nocturnal fasting to illustrate how a simple psychophysiological framework facilitates an understanding of the neurophysiology involved in maintaining a healthy homeostatic life. Additionally, this model will help nutritionists, clinicians and researchers to incorporate zeitgebers (light-dark cues) and meal timing, an important dynamic tool for managing a healthy body and brain.
Key message
From the present model, zeitgebers and meal times could be valuable public health tools for healthy metabolic signatures. Further, they may be used as chronotherapeutic interventions for preventing chronic diseases.
DOI
10.1177/09727531261473463
PMID
42630334
PMCID
PMC13493622
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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