The molecular clock consists of a number of genes that form transcriptional and
posttranscriptional feedback loops, which function together to generate circadian oscillations
that give rise to circadian rhythms of our behavioral and physiological processes. Genetic
variations in these clock genes have been shown to be associated with phenotypic effects in
a repertoire of biological processes, such as diurnal preference, sleep, metabolism, mood
regulation, addiction, and fertility. Consistently, rodent models carrying mutations in clock …