Does limiting night-time locomotor activity result in greater circadian clock resetting?

Abstract

Circadian rhythms play a role in a variety of functions, such as hormone secretion, sleep, and activity level, and are essential for overall well-being and health. In order to maintain these cycles, resetting of the circadian clock must occur by various stimuli. Synchronized with the 24-hour cycle of the day, circadian rhythms are often reset each day by light. These rhythms can also be reset with nonphotic stimuli. If dim light at night increases subsequent clock resetting through its effect on activity reduction, then mice held in LD that are limited to activity levels of mice held in BD should show clock resetting comparable to that of mice held in BD. This study looked at the effect of limiting the activity of mice held in LD to a level comparable to that of mice held in BD.