title: Serotonin depletion decreases light induced c-fos in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus.
abstract: The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the locus of the biological clock in mammals. Daily light cycles entrain the endogenous circadian rhythms in mammals through direct and indirect neural pathways from the retinae to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We have studied the effect of serotonin depletion on the photic induction of the early response gene c-fas in the SCN of rats. Serotonin depletion, verified by immunohistochemistry, produced a significant decrease (42%) in the number of c-FOS positive cells in the ventrolateral portion of the SCN. These results support the involvement of serotonin as a mediator of photic information to the SCN through the retinal projection to the dorsal raphe nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Adelaide Medical School, Australia.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Moyer
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kennaway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D010134:Fenclonine