Abstract
Recent findings have raised the possibility that some of the age- related changes in the circadian system and the response of the circadian pacemaker to environmental stimuli may involve central serotonergic mechanisms. The present study compared the effects of pretreatment with the serotonin agonist 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (5 mg/kg ip) on the magnitude of light-induced phase advances in young (2-4 mo) and old (18-20 mo) golden hamsters. The ability of this serotonin agonist to attenuate the photic phase resetting of circadian locomotor rhythmicity in young animals was decreased by 46% in old hamsters (P < 0.05). These results suggest that deficits in the mechanisms for serotonergic control of circadian function may interfere with the optimal adaptation of the senescent organism to its temporal environment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | R509-R513 |
| Journal | American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology |
| Volume | 272 |
| Issue number | 2 41-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1997 |
Keywords
- 8-hydroxy-2(di-n- propylamino)tetralin
- circadian activity rhythm
- photic phase resetting
- serotonin
- suprachiasmatic nuclei
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)