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The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the human brain in relation to sex, age and senile dementia
Swaab DF, Fliers E, Partiman TS.. Brain research, 1985-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is considered to be the endogenous clock of the brain, essential for the ovulation cycle and the temporal organization of sleep-wake patterns, among other things. Immunocytochemical staining with anti-vasopressin as a marker permitted a morphometric study of this nucleus in the human brain, which revealed that the shape of the SCN is sexually dimorphic. The shape of the SCN was elongated in women and more spherical in men. In both sexes a decrease in SCN volume and cell number was observed in senescence (80-100 years). The latter change was especially pronounced in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT). This suggests the presence of a structural defect in the SCN which underlies the general disturbance of biological rhythms in senescence and SDAT.
Key findings
- Immunocytochemical staining with anti-vasopressin as a marker permitted a morphometric study of this nucleus in the human brain, which revealed that the shape of the SCN is sexually dimorphic.
Why it matters
This morphometric study of the human brain found that the suprachiasmatic nucleus decreased in volume and cell number in old age, with the change especially pronounced in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. It suggests a structural defect underlying disturbed biological rhythms in aging and this dementia, not a treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 42 of the 93 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Brain research) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Brain Research: journal h-index 399 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1985 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 846 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 19.7 citations a year over 43 year(s) since 1985 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 13 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 44 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author T.S. Partiman holds only 2 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 4041816) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 42 / 93 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 42 of the 93 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100. |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Swaab, D. F., Fliers, E., & Partiman, T. S. (1985). The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the human brain in relation to sex, age and senile dementia. Brain research. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(85)91350-2
Vancouver
Swaab DF, Fliers E, Partiman TS. The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the human brain in relation to sex, age and senile dementia. Brain research. 1985. doi:10.1016/0006-8993(85)91350-2. PMID: 4041816.
BibTeX
@article{swaab1985-4041816,
author = {Swaab, D. F. and Fliers, E. and Partiman, T. S.},
title = {{The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the human brain in relation to sex, age and senile dementia}},
journal = {Brain research},
year = {1985},
doi = {10.1016/0006-8993(85)91350-2},
pmid = {4041816},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(85)91350-2}
}
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