Elsevier

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 24, Issue 3, March 1980, Pages 523-527
Physiology & Behavior

Entrainment of the circadian activity rhythm to the light cycle: Effective light intensity for a Zeitgeber in the retinal degenerate C3H mouse and the normal C57BL mouse

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Abstract

Effective light intensities for entrainment of activity rhythms were obtained in the retinal degenerated C3Hf/He mice and the normal C57BL/6J mice. The circadian activity rhythms of the mice were examined under LD 12:12 cycles with one of five different levels of light (L phase) and complete darkness (D phase). The thresholds of a Zeitgeber, defined as the light intensity effective for 50% entrainment, were estimated between 1 lux and 5 lux in the C3H and lower than 0.01 lux in the C57BL mice. These results suggest that at least two different kinds of photoreceptor including rods and cones participate in the photic entrainment of the circadian activity rhythms.

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    This work was supported by a grant-in-aid (No. 210704) for the scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.

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    Present address: Laboratory of Physiological Psychology, Mitsubishi-Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194, Japan.

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