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While stress does not affect the phase or period of the central pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, it can shift clocks in peripheral tissues. Our previous studies showed significant delays of the PER2 rhythms in lung and kidney following social defeat stress. The mechanism underlying these effects is not fully understood, but might involve glucocorticoids (GC) released during the stressor. In the present study, we performed social defeat stress in adrenalectomized (ADX) mice to see if the induction of endogenous GC is necessary for the stress-induced phase shifts of peripheral clocks. We used mice that carry a luciferase reporter gene fused to the circadian clock gene Period2 (PER2::LUC) to examine daily rhythms of PER2 expression in various peripheral tissues. Mice were exposed to 5 consecutive daily social defeat stress in the late dark phase (ZT21-22). Running wheel rotations were recorded during 7 baseline and 5 social defeat days, which showed that social defeat stress suppressed locomotor activity without affecting the phase of the rhythm. This suppression of activity was not prevented by ADX. One hour after the last stressor, tissue samples from the liver, kidney and lung were collected and cultured for ex vivo bioluminescence recordings. In the liver, PER2 rhythms were not affected by social defeat stress or ADX. In the kidney, social defeat stress caused a > 4 h phase delay of the PER2 rhythm, which was prevented by ADX, supporting the hypothesis of a crucial role of GC in this stress effect. In the lung, social defeat stress caused an 8 h phase delay, but, surprisingly, a similar phase delay was seen in ADX animals independent of defeat. The latter indicates complex effects of stress and stress hormones on the lung clock. In conclusion, the findings show that repeated social defeat stress in the dark phase can shift PER2 rhythms in some tissues (lung, kidney) and not others (liver). Moreover, the social defeat stress effect in some tissues appears to be mediated by glucocorticoids (kidney) whereas the mechanism in other tissues is more complex (lung).

In modern society the night sky is lit up not only by the moon but also by artificial light devices. Both of these light sources can have a major impact on wildlife physiology and behaviour. For example, a number of bird species were found to sleep several hours less under full moon compared to new moon and a similar sleep-suppressing effect has been reported for artificial light at night (ALAN). Cloud cover at night can modulate the light levels perceived by wildlife, yet, in opposite directions for ALAN and moon. While clouds will block moon light, it may reflect and amplify ALAN levels and increases the night glow in urbanized areas. As a consequence, cloud cover may also modulate the sleep-suppressing effects of moon and ALAN in different directions. In this study we therefore measured sleep in barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) under semi-natural conditions in relation to moon phase, ALAN and cloud cover. Our analysis shows that, during new moon nights stronger cloud cover was indeed associated with increased ALAN levels at our study site. In contrast, light levels during full moon nights were fairly constant, presumably because of moonlight on clear nights or because of reflected artificial light on cloudy nights. Importantly, cloud cover caused an estimated 24.8% reduction in the amount of night-time NREM sleep from nights with medium to full cloud cover, particularly during new moon when sleep was unaffected by moon light. In conclusion, our findings suggest that cloud cover can, in a rather dramatic way, amplify the immediate effects of ALAN on wildlife. Sleep appears to be highly sensitive to ALAN and may therefore be a good indicator of its biological effects., Environmental Pollution, 273, ISSN:0269-7491, ISSN:1878-2450, ISSN:1873-6424

This review provides an overview of the interaction between the mammalian cholinergic system and circadian system, and its possible role in time memory. Several studies made clear that circadian (daily) fluctuations in acetylcholine (ACh) release, cholinergic enzyme activity and cholinergic receptor expression varies remarkably between species and even strains. Apparently, cholinergic features can be flexibly adjusted to the needs of a species or strain. Nevertheless, it can be generalized that circadian rhythmicity in the cholinergic system is characterized by high ACh release during the active phase of an individual. During the active phase, the activity of the ACh synthesizing enzyme Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT) is enhanced, and the activity of the ACh degrading enzyme Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is reduced. The number of free, unbound and thus available muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) is highest when ACh release is lowest. The cholinergic innervation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the hypothalamic circadian master clock, arises from the cholinergic forebrain and brain stem nuclei. The density of cholinergic fibers and terminals is modest as compared to other hypothalamic nuclei. This is the case for rat, hamster and mouse, three chronobiological model rodent species studied by us. A new finding is that the rat SCN contains some local cholinergic neurons. Hamster SCN contains less cholinergic neurons, whereas the mouse SCN is devoid of such cells. ACh has an excitatory effect on SCN cells (at least in vivo), and functions in close interaction with other neurotransmitters. Originally it was thought that ACh transferred retinal light information to the SCN. This turned out to be wrong. Thereafter, the phase shifting effects of ACh prompted researches to view ACh as an agent for nocturnal clock resetting. It is still not clear, however, what the function consequence is of SCN cholinergic neurotransmission. Here, we postulate the hypothesis that cholinergic neurotransmission in the SCN provides the brain with a mechanism to support the formation of time memory via 'time stamping'. We define time memory as the memory of a specific time of the day, for which an animal made an association with a certain event and/or location (for example in case of time-place association). We use the term 'time stamping' to refer to the process underlying the encoding of a specific time of day (the time stamp). Only relatively brief but arousing events seem to be time stamped at SCN level. This time stamping requires the engagement of mAChRs. New data suggests that the SCN uses the neuropeptide vasopressin (AVP) as an output system to transfer the specific time of day information to other brain regions such as hippocampus and neocortex where time memory is supposed to be acquired, consolidated and stored. Since time stamping is a cholinergically mediated function of the circadian system, the early disruption of the cholinergic and circadian systems as seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may contribute to the cognitive disruption of temporal organization of memory and behavior in these patients. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal changes in day length are used by plants and animals to synchronize annual rhythms in reproduction, physiology, and behavior to the environment. Increasing day length during spring causes sudden changes in the mammalian reproductive system once the critical photoperiod is reached. The molecular mechanism behind this switch is now quickly being elucidated.

Homozygous tau mutant Syrian hamsters (tau-/-) have a free-running circadian period (tau) around 20 h and a proportionally higher metabolic rate compared with wild-type hamsters (tau+/+) with a period of circa 24 h. In this study, we applied deuterium oxide (D2O) to hamsters to test whether deuteration affects the circadian period of locomotor activity and metabolic rate in both genotypes. Running wheel activity and the metabolic rate were measured in constant illumination before, during, and after administration of 25% deuterium in drinking water. Wild-type hamsters lengthened their circadian period by 1.19 h (SD = 0.29 h) due to D2O application and tau-/- hamsters by 1.20 h (SD = 0.39 h). Deuteration changed neither the amount of activity nor the duration of activity phase (alpha) in either genotype. The mass specific average metabolic rate (AMR, the oxygen consumption over 24 h) and the mass specific resting metabolic rate (RMR) did not differ during deuteration compared with non-deuteration conditions for either genotype. Both with and without D2O, tau-/- hamsters had higher metabolic rates than tau+/+ hamsters. There was no correlation between changes in the circadian period of locomotor activity and metabolic rates caused by D2O. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.