Thermoregulation is impaired in an environment without circadian time cues.
Squirrel monkeys synchronized to a 24-hour light-dark cycle show a prominent circadian rhythm in body temperature which is regulated against mild environmental cold exposures throughout the 24-hour day. However, cold exposures produce significant decreases in core body temperature when the circadian rhythms of the animal are free-running in the absence of environmental time cues. Effective thermoregulation appears to require the precise internal synchronization of the circadian timekeeping system.
D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003463:Cues; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D000882:Haplorhini; D006706:Homeostasis; D008297:Male; D012453:Saimiri; D013997:Time Factors