In mammals, lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) cause alterations in several biological rhythms. Investigation of the role of the ovine SCN requires complete bilateral lesions of the nuclei. However, the elongated shape, location and horizontal orientation of this hypothalamic structure prohibit a classical stereotaxic vertical approach. We present here a new trans-sinusal surgical technique to reach the SCN for lesion or other studies, which avoids damage to hypothalamic or other structures. The surgical procedure allows direct viewing of the SCN, located dorsal to the optic chiasm on the rostro-ventral surface of the brain. The orientation of the access tunnel is roughly aligned with the nearly horizontal main axis of the nuclei. An example of the use of such a surgical procedure is described: the bilateral destruction of the SCN. Following surgery, the extent of lesions was assessed by histology, showing complete destruction of the SCN. In order to demonstrate the physiological effects of the lesions, melatonin secretion profiles were followed over 48 h periods and compared before and after surgery. Bilateral SCN lesions induced alterations in the rhythm of melatonin secretion: levels were no longer correlated with light/dark cycles.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0165-0270(94)90010-8 | DOI Listing |
J Biol Rhythms
January 2025
Department of Physics and i3n, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
The role of the hierarchical organization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in its functioning, jet lag, and the light treatment of jet lag remains poorly understood. Using the core-shell model, we mimic collective behavior of the core and shell populations of the SCN oscillators in transient states after rapid traveling east and west. The existence of a special region of slow dynamical states of the SCN oscillators can explain phenomena such as the east-west asymmetry of jet lag, instances when entrainment to an advance is via delay shifts, and the dynamics of jet lag recovery time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Physiol Sci
January 2025
Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-Ku, 819-0395, Fukuoka, Japan. Electronic address:
Intraocular pressure (IOP) plays a crucial role in glaucoma development, involving the dynamics of aqueous humor (AH). AH flows in from the ciliary body and exits through the trabecular meshwork (TM). IOP follows a circadian rhythm synchronized with the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian pacemaker.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Eat Disord
January 2025
Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
Objective: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by severe weight loss and associated with hyperactivity and circadian rhythm disruption. However, the cellular basis of circadian rhythm disruption is poorly understood. Glial cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the principal circadian pacemaker, are involved in regulating circadian rhythms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsect Sci
January 2025
Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Many animals display physiological and behavioral activities limited to specific times of the day. Certain insects exhibit clear daily rhythms in their mating activities that are regulated by an internal biological clock. However, the specific genetic mechanisms underlying this regulation remain largely unexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Physiol (Oxf)
February 2025
Laboratory of Biological Rhythms, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
Aim: Exposure to light at night and meal time misaligned with the light/dark (LD) cycle-typical features of daily life in modern 24/7 society-are associated with negative effects on health. To understand the mechanism, we developed a novel protocol of complex chronodisruption (CD) in which we exposed female rats to four weekly cycles consisting of 5-day intervals of constant light and 2-day intervals of food access restricted to the light phase of the 12:12 LD cycle.
Methods: We examined the effects of CD on behavior, estrous cycle, sleep patterns, glucose homeostasis and profiles of clock- and metabolism-related gene expression (using RT qPCR) and liver metabolome and lipidome (using untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic profiling).
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