Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
https://trends.org.br/article/doi/10.1590/S2237-60892013000100002
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
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Chronotype: a review of the advances, limits and applicability of the main instruments used in the literature to assess human phenotype

Cronotipo: uma revisão dos avanços, limites e aplicabilidade dos principais instrumentos utilizados na literatura para avaliar o fenótipo humano

Rosa Levandovski; Etianne Sasso; Maria Paz Hidalgo

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S2237-60892013000100002 Trends Psychiatry Psychother, vol.35, n1, p.3-11, 2013
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Abstract

The study of circadian typology differences has increased in the last few years. As a result, new instruments have been developed to estimate the individual circadian phase of temporal human behavior, also referred as chronotype. The current review was conducted to evaluate the differences among the questionnaires most frequently used to assess chronotype: the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), and the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). Each instrument evaluates a different aspect of chronotype. MEQ is considered to evaluate the phase preferences of individual behavior over a 24-hour day, while MCTQ measures the phase of sleep positions for both free and work days. CSM is similar to MEQ, but is more sensitive to measure shift work. The concept of chronotype has been used to refer to phase positions or phase preferences in the literature reviewed. Most of the time this is a consequence of different interpretations: it is not clear whether phase preferences are a direct manifestation of the individual’s internal clock or a result of external cues, e.g., social interaction (including the alarm clock). Also, phase preferences are not uniform throughout life. Therefore, a single assessment, not taking age into consideration, will not accurately describe the sample. We suggest that MCTQ is the best instrument for investigators dealing with desynchronization and as an instrument for sleep phase. Conversely, if the goal is to assess characteristics that change under specific situations - chronotype -, the MEQ should be used.

Keywords

Chronobiology phenomena, circadian rhythm, morningness, eveningness, review

Resumo

O estudo das diferenças de tipologia circadiana tem aumentado nos últimos anos. Como resultado, novos instrumentos têm sido desenvolvidos para estimar as preferências interindividuais de fase circadiana, denominada de cronotipo, responsável pela organização temporal do processo de regulação do organismo. O objetivo desta revisão foi avaliar as diferenças dos principais questionários utilizados para avaliar cronotipos: o Questionário de Matutinidade e Vespertinidade (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, MEQ), o Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) e o Questionário de Cronotipo de Munique (Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, MCTQ). Cada instrumento avalia um aspecto diferente dos cronotipos. Considera-se que o MEQ avalia as preferências de fase do comportamento individual ao longo de um dia de 24 horas, ao passo que o MCTQ mede a posição da fase de sono tanto em dias livres como em dias de trabalho. O CSM é semelhante ao MEQ, mas é mais sensível para ser utilizado em indivíduos que realizam trabalho em turnos. O conceito de cronotipo tem sido utilizado para se referir a posições de fase ou preferências de fase na literatura revisada. Na maioria das vezes, isso é consequência de diferentes interpretações: não está claro se as preferências de fase são uma manifestação direta do relógio interno do indivíduo ou um resultado de sinais externos, como por exemplo, interação social (incluindo o uso de despertador). Além disso, as preferências de fase não são uniformes ao longo da vida. Sendo assim, uma única avaliação, sem levar em consideração a idade do indivíduo nos escores utilizados nessas escalas, não descreverá a amostra com precisão. Sugerimos, através desta revisão, que o MCTQ deve ser considerado como instrumento para investigações que lidam com dessincronização e como instrumento de medida de fase de sono. Por outro lado, se o objetivo é avaliar características que mudam em determinadas situações - cronotipo -, o MEQ deve ser utilizado.

Palavras-chave

Fenômenos cronobiológicos, ritmo circadiano, matutino, vespertino, revisão

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