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Acute exposure to low-level light at night is sufficient to induce neurological changes and depressive-like behavior
Open accessAbstract
The advent and wide-spread adoption of electric lighting over the past century has profoundly affected the circadian organization of physiology and behavior for many individuals in industrialized nations; electric lighting in homes, work environments, and public areas have extended daytime activities into the evening, thus, increasing night-time exposure to light. Although initially assumed to be innocuous, chronic exposure to light at night (LAN) is now associated with increased incidence of cancer, metabolic disorders, and affective problems in humans. However, little is known about potential acute effects of LAN. To determine whether acute exposure to low-level LAN alters brain function, adult male, and female mice were housed in either light days and dark nights (LD; 14 h of 150 lux:10 h of 0 lux) or light days and low level light at night (LAN; 14 h of 150 lux:10 h of 5 lux). Mice exposed to LAN on three consecutive nights increased depressive-like responses compared to mice housed in dark nights. In addition, female mice exposed to LAN increased central tendency in the open field. LAN was associated with reduced hippocampal vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in both male and female mice, as well as increased VEGFR1 and interleukin-1β mRNA expression in females, and reduced brain derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in males. Further, LAN significantly altered circadian rhythms (activity and temperature) and circadian gene expression in female and male mice, respectively. Altogether, this study demonstrates that acute exposure to LAN alters brain physiology and can be detrimental to well-being in otherwise healthy individuals.
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“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 [60]
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“Acute (3 nights) exposure of mice to dLAN (5 lux) is sufficient to induce alterations in clock genes and increase depressive-like behavior60.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [60]
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“As with constant light, exposure to dim light at night induces depressive-like behavior in multiple species of rodents58–60,95.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [60]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Walker, W. H., Borniger, J. C., Gaudier-Diaz, M. M., Hecmarie Meléndez-Fernández, O., Pascoe, J. L., Courtney DeVries, A., & Nelson, R. J.
- Affiliations
- West Virginia University (US)
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Walker, William H.
- Venue
- Molecular Psychiatry
- Published
- 2019-05-28
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1080-1093
- ISSN
- 1359-4184 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-5578
- PMC
- PMC6881534
- OpenAlex
- W2947169552
- Cited by
- 129
- References
- 79
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 30
- FWCI
- 8.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Molecular Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Institutional Repository (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS092388)
- 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 › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- light at night, depression-like behavior, circadian rhythm, circadian gene expression, hippocampus, VEGF-A, VEGFR1, IL-1β, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, sex differences, electric lighting, sleep-wake behavior, body temperature rhythm
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Circadian Rhythm, Depression, Female, Hippocampus, Light, Lighting, Male, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A, Mice, Interleukin-1beta
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