Entrainment impaired, masking spared: An apparent genetic abnormality that prevents circadian rhythm entrainment to 24-h lighting cycles in California mice

Marleen H.M. De Groot, Benjamin Rusak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lighting cycles can influence the expression of daily activity rhythms in two ways: by entraining the circadian pacemaker that normally drives this rhythm, and by directly affecting the expression of activity itself, thereby 'masking' the influence of the pacemaker. We describe a California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) in which these processes are dissociated. Circadian rhythms of wheel-running activity were recorded continuously while the animal was housed in a standard light/dark cycle and in constant darkness. This animal expressed a normal circadian rhythm that failed to entrain to the light/dark cycle, but was completely masked during the light phase. This animal's phenotype appears to have a genetic basis, since the progeny of selective crosses of his descendants showed similar abnormalities. These mice are the first example of animals expressing apparently normal circadian rhythms that are not entrained by light, but that still show potent masking responses to light exposure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)203-207
Number of pages5
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume327
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 26 2002

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Anna Lee and Richard E. Brown for providing us with the California mice; and Donna Goguen, Debbie Fice and Marc Goguen for assistance with animal care. Research was supported by grants from NSERC (A0305) and CIHR of Canada. M. de G. was supported by a MRC/CIHR Doctoral Training Award.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Neuroscience

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