Influence of light at night on murine anxiety- and depressive-like responses
Abstract
Individuals are increasingly exposed to light at night. Exposure to constant light (LL) disrupts circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, body temperature, hormones, and the sleep-wake cycle in animals. Other behavioural responses to LL have been reported, but are inconsistent. The present experiment sought to determine whether LL produces changes in affective responses and whether behavioural changes are mediated by alterations in glucocorticoid concentrations. Relative to conspecifics maintained in a light/dark cycle (LD, 16:8 light/dark), male Swiss-Webster mice exposed to LL for three weeks increased depressive-like behavioural responses as evaluated by the forced swim test and sucrose anhedonia. Furthermore, providing a light escape tube reversed the effects of LL in the forced swim test. LL mice displayed reduced anxiety as evaluated by the open field and elevated-plus maze. Glucocorticoid concentrations were reduced in the LL group suggesting that the affective behavioural responses to LL are not the result of elevated corticosterone. Additionally, mice housed in LD with a clear tube displayed increased paired testes mass as compared to LL mice. Taken together, these data provide evidence that exposure to unnatural lighting can induce significant changes in affect, increasing depressive-like and decreasing anxiety-like responses.
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Studies using Swiss Webster mice, which have no detectable pineal melatonin, versus Siberian hamsters, which have a robust pineal melatonin rhythm, have reported similar effects of light at night on affective responses.
“Nonetheless, studies using Swiss Webster mice (which have no detectable pineal melatonin) vs. Siberian hamsters (which have a robust pineal melatonin rhythm) have reported similar effects of light at night on affective responses33,59–61.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [61]
Exposure to dim light at night during early development in mice increases adult anxiety-like responses, whereas exposure of adult mice to light at night reduces anxiety-like responses.
“For example, exposure to dim light at night during early development in mice increases adult anxiety-like responses108,109, whereas exposure of adult mice to light at night reduces anxiety-like responses106.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [106]
The effects of light as a circadian disruptor are inconsistent across species and may depend on the developmental window during which circadian disruption occurs, as well as the type of light and its intensity.
“However, the effects of light as a circadian disruptor are inconsistent across species104–108, and may depend on the developmental window during which circadian disruption occurs, as well as the type of light (i.e. halogen, compact fluorescent, or light emitting diode) and its intensity108,109.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [106]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Fonken, L. K., Finy, M. S., Walton, J. C., Weil, Z. M., Workman, J. L., Ross, J., & Nelson, R. J.
- Affiliations
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fonken, Laura K.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Behavioural Brain Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-12-28
- Volume
- 205
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 349-354
- ISSN
- 0166-4328 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2099864226
- Cited by
- 209
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 3.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavioural Brain Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- light at night, constant light, circadian rhythm disruption, anxiety-like behavior, depression-like behavior, glucocorticoids, corticosterone, forced swim test, testis mass, Swiss Webster mice
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anxiety, Corticosterone, Depression, Drinking Behavior, Light, Lighting, Locomotion, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Organ Size, Photic Stimulation, Random Allocation, Swimming, Testis, Photoperiod, Maze Learning, Dietary Sucrose, Mice
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