Disruption of circadian rhythms due to chronic constant light leads to depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in the rat
Abstract
Depression is strongly associated with the circadian system, disruption of the circadian system leads to increased propensity to disease and to mood disorders including depression. The present study explored in rats the effects of circadian disruption by constant light on behavioral and hormonal indicators of a depressive-like condition and on the biological clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Exposure to constant light for 8 weeks resulted in loss of circadian patterns of spontaneous general activity, melatonin and corticosterone. Moreover these rats exhibited anhedonia in a sucrose consumption test, and increased grooming in the open-field test, which reflects an anxiety-like condition. In the SCN decreased cellular activation was observed by c-Fos immunohistochemistry. In rats exposed to constant darkness, circadian behavioral and hormonal patterns remained conserved, however mild depressive-like indicators were observed in the anhedonia test and mild anxiety-like behaviors were observed in the open field test. Data indicate that chronic conditions of LL or DD are both disruptive for the activity of the SCN leading to depression- and anxiety-like behavior. Present results point out the main role played by the biological clock and the risk of altered photoperiods on affective behavior.
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Rats exposed to 8 weeks of constant light exhibit increased depressive-like behavior concurrent with loss of diurnal rhythms in activity, melatonin, and corticosterone.
“Rats exposed to 8 weeks of constant light exhibit increased depressive-like behavior concurrent with loss of diurnal rhythms in activity, melatonin, and corticosterone92.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [92]
Housing adult rats chronically in constant light induces anxiety-like behavioral responses.
“For example, housing adult rats chronically in constant light induces anxiety-like behavioral responses92.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [92]
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- Authors
- Tapia-Osorio, A., Salgado-Delgado, R., Angeles-Castellanos, M., & Escobar, C.
- Affiliations
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
- Corresponding author
- Escobar, Carolina
- ORCID
- Escobar, Carolina
- Venue
- Behavioural Brain Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-09
- Volume
- 252
- Pages
- 1-9
- ISSN
- 0166-4328 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2038826847
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 4.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavioural Brain Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- circadian rhythm disruption, constant light, depression-like behavior, anxiety-like behavior, suprachiasmatic nucleus, melatonin, corticosterone, anhedonia, sucrose intake, grooming, c-fos, biological clock, photoperiod, constant darkness, emotional behavior
- MeSH terms
- Analysis of Variance, Animals, Anxiety, Body Weight, Cell Count, Corticosterone, Depression, Disease Models, Animal, Eating, Exploratory Behavior, Food Preferences, Light, Male, Melatonin, Motor Activity, Sucrose, Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Sweetening Agents, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos, Rats, Wistar, Chronobiology Disorders, Rats
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