Ultradian

Other ultradian rhythms include blood circulation, blinking, pulse, hormonal secretions such as growth hormone, heart rate, thermoregulation, micturition, bowel activity, nostril dilation, appetite, and arousal. Ultradian rhythms of appetite require antiphasic release of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), stimulating and inhibiting appetite ultradian rhythms. Recently, ultradian rhythms of arousal lasting approximately 4 hours were attributed to the dopaminergic system in mammals. When the dopaminergic system is perturbed either by use of drugs or by genetic disruption, these 4-hour rhythms can lengthen significantly into the infradian (> 24 h) range, sometimes even lasting for days (> 110 h) when methamphetamine are provided.