Night shift work is associated with sleep problems and multiple other negative health effects. Prolonged wakefulness induces deficits in brain functions, which affects alertness, performance and mood. My PhD-project is a translational project and involves simulating night-shift work in both rats and humans. I aim to investigate how night-shift work affects waking function and cognitive performance during work, and subsequent sleep. I will also investigate how different light interventions during simulated night-shifts will affect the brains' processing capasity and how it may impact daytime sleep.

I teach in the courses PSYK115 Circadian rhythms, sleep and behaviour, PROPSY303 Biological psychology, and PSYK207 Learning and behavioural psychology

Academic lecture

• Sunde, Erlend; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pedersen, Torhild Thue et al. (2022). Reversal learning and working memory scanning task performance improve with bright light exposure during simulated night work: a counterbalanced crossover study. (external link)
• Sunde, Erlend; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pedersen, Torhild et al. (2019). Effects of Different Light Intensities on Adaptation to Simulated Night Shifts: A Randomized Counterbalanced Crossover Study. (external link)

Academic article

• Pedersen, Torhild Thue; Sunde, Erlend; Wisor, Jonathan P. et al. (2022). Sleep homeostasis and night work: a polysomnographic study of daytime sleep following three consecutive simulated night shifts. (external link)
• Sunde, Erlend; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pedersen, Torhild Thue et al. (2022). Bright light exposure during simulated night work improves cognitive flexibility. (external link)
• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; Pedersen, Torhild; Wisor, Jonathan P. et al. (2020). Cognitive function and brain plasticity in a rat model of shift work: role of daily rhythms, sleep and glucocorticoids. (external link)
• Sunde, Erlend; Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena et al. (2020). Alerting and Circadian Effects of Short-Wavelength vs. Long-Wavelength Narrow-Bandwidth Light during a Simulated Night Shift. (external link)
• Sunde, Erlend; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pedersen, Torhild et al. (2020). Role of nocturnal light intensity on adaptation to three consecutive night shifts: a counterbalanced crossover study. (external link)
• Sunde, Erlend; Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena et al. (2020). Blue-enriched white light improves performance but not subjective alertness and circadian adaptation during three consecutive simulated night shifts. (external link)
• Rempe, Michael J.; Grønli, Janne; Pedersen, Torhild et al. (2018). Mathematical modeling of sleep state dynamics in a rodent model of shift work. (external link)
• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; Patil, Sudarshan; Mrdalj, Jelena et al. (2017). No escaping the rat race: simulated night shift work alters the time-of-day variation in BMAL1 translational activity in the prefrontal cortex. (external link)
• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; Meerlo, Peter; Grønli, Janne et al. (2016). Shift in food intake and changes in metabolic regulation and gene expression during simulated night-shiftwork: A rat model. (external link)
• Grønli, Janne; Meerlo, Peter; Pedersen, Torhild et al. (2016). A rodent model of night-shift work induces short-term and enduring sleep and electroencephalographic disturbances. (external link)

Poster

• Bjerrum, Louise Haugen; Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena et al. (2018). Prolonged photoperiod alters time in sleep and slow-wave activity. The impact of blue-enriched light.. (external link)
• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; Skrede, Silje; Mrdalj, Jelena et al. (2018). Extending the photoperiod impacts circadian rhythmicity and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and retina- Impact of exposure to blue-enriched light. . (external link)
• Mrdalj, Jelena; Sunde, Erlend; Pedersen, Torhild et al. (2018). Effects of bright light on sleepiness and cognitive performance during simulated night shift work.. (external link)
• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; waslander, jorrit; Skrede, Silje et al. (2018). Extended photoperiod alters circadian rhythmicity and expression of neuroplasticity markers. The impact of blue-enriched light.. (external link)
• Grønli, Janne; Marti, Andrea Rørvik; waslander, jorrit et al. (2018). Extended photoperiod alters sleep and expression of synaptic plasticity-associated genes. The impact of blue-enriched light.. (external link)
• Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pallesen, Ståle et al. (2018). Daytime sleep following bright light exposure during simulated night shift work.. (external link)
• Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pallesen, Ståle et al. (2018). Bright light exposure during simulated night shift work- impact on daytime sleep.. (external link)
• Pedersen, Torhild; Mrdalj, Jelena; Pallesen, Ståle et al. (2018). Daytime sleep following night shifts- impact of light intensity. (external link)

Interview

• Pedersen, Torhild (2018). NRK Hordaland Morgensending- Hvordan få sove i sommervarmen?. (external link)

Popular scientific article

• Marti, Andrea Rørvik; Pedersen, Torhild (2018). Nattarbeid og den trøtte hjernen- kan lys hjelpe?. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

 

Mathematical modeling of sleep state dynamics in a rodent model of shift work. Rempe MJ, Grønli J, Pedersen TT, Mrdalj J, Marti AR, Meerlo P, Wisor JP. (2018). Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms 5:37-51

No Escaping the Rat Race: Simulated Night Shift Work Alters the Time-of-Day Variation in BMAL1 Translational Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex. Marti AR, Patil S, Mrdalj J, Meerlo P, Skrede S, Pallesen S, Pedersen TT, Bramham CR, Grønli J. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 2017 11(70). doi: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00070.

A rodent model of night-shift work induces short-term and enduring sleep and electroencephalographic disturbances. Grønli J, Meerlo P, Pedersen TT, Pallesen S, Skrede S, Marti AR, Wisor JP, Murison R, Henriksen TEG, Rempe MJ, Mrdalj J. J Biol Rhythm, 2017 Feb;32(1):48-63. doi: 10.1177/0748730416675460.

Shift in food intake and changes in metabolic regulation and gene expression during simulated night-shift work. A rat model. Marti AR, Meerlo P, Grønli J, van Hasselt SJ, Mrdalj J, Pallesen S, Pedersen TT, Henriksen TEG, Skrede S.Nutrients, 2016 Nov 8;8(11). doi:10.3390/nu8110712

 

Consequences of night shift simulation on waking performance, sleep, circadian rhythmicity and brain function