Phase Control of Ultradian Feeding Rhythms in the Common Vole ( Microtus arvalis): The Roles of Light and the Circadian System

In their ultradian (2- to 3-hr) feeding rhythm, common voles show intraindividual synchrony from day to day, as well as interindividual synchrony between members of the population, even at remote distances. This study addresses the question of how resetting of the ultradian rhythm, a prerequisite fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Biological Rhythms
Main Authors: Gerkema, Menno P., Daan, Serge, Wilbrink, Marieke, Hop, Martina W., van der Leest, Floris
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 1993
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/074873049300800205
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/074873049300800205
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Summary:In their ultradian (2- to 3-hr) feeding rhythm, common voles show intraindividual synchrony from day to day, as well as interindividual synchrony between members of the population, even at remote distances. This study addresses the question of how resetting of the ultradian rhythm, a prerequisite for such synchronization, is achieved. Common voles were subjected to short light-dark cycles (1 hr darkness with light varying between 0.7 and 2.5 hr); to T cycles (long light-dark cycles in the circadian range—16 hr darkness and 3-13 hr light); to light pulses (15 min) during different circadian and ultradian phases; and to addition of D 2 O to the drinking water (25%). Short light-dark cycles and D 2 O were also applied to voles without circadian rhythmicity, after lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei.