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Binocular Interactions in the Entrainment and Phase Shifting of Locomotor Activity Rhythms in Syrian Hamsters3210 Tolman Hall, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1650;jhp{at}socrates.berkeley.edu
Departments of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Departments Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Departments Psychology and Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 To assess binocular interactions and possible ocular dominance in entrainment of circadian rhythms, Syrian hamsters maintained in LL were subjected for several weeks to schedules of eye occlusion with opaque contact lenses. In separate groups, the opaque lens was inserted into the left or right eye for 12 h at the same clock time each day. The left and right eyes of other groups were alternately occluded for 12 h each day, with initial occlusion of either the left or right eye for different groups. Amajority of hamsters entrained their locomotor activity rhythm when 1 eye was occluded for 12 h. The modified visual input imposed by covering 1 eye is sufficient to induce entrainment. Locomotor rhythms of most animals in which the 2 eyes were alternately occluded for 12 h each day phasedelayed onset of activity during the 1st few days of the lensing procedure; activity onset then free ran with < 24 h for several weeks until entraining with of 24 h regardless of whether the left or right eye was initially occluded. Entrainment eventually occurred when activity onset coincided with occlusion of the eye contralateral to the one that was first lensed. Photic and nonphotic explanations for eventual entrainment of locomotor rhythms are discussed, and evidence for asymmetrical photic input from the 2 eyes to the SCN is considered
Key Words: circadian rhythms suprachiasmatic nucleus Syrian hamsters entrainment
Journal of Biological Rhythms, Vol. 20, No. 1,
49-59 (2005) This article has been cited by other articles:
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