title: Activity/inactivity circadian rhythm shows high similarities between young obesity-induced rats and old rats.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to compare differences between elderly rats and young obesity-induced rats in their activity/inactivity circadian rhythm. The investigation was motivated by the differences reported previously for the circadian rhythms of both obese and elderly humans (and other animals), and those of healthy, young or mature individuals. Three groups of rats were formed: a young control group which was fed a standard chow for rodents; a young obesity-induced group which was fed a high-fat diet for four months; and an elderly control group with rats aged 2.5 years that was fed a standard chow for rodents. Activity/inactivity data were registered through actimetry using infrared actimeter systems in each cage to detect activity. Data were logged on a computer and chronobiological analysis were performed. The results showed diurnal activity (sleep time), nocturnal activity (awake time), amplitude, acrophase, and interdaily stability to be similar between the young obesity-induced group and the elderly control group, but different in the young control group. We have concluded that obesity leads to a chronodisruption status in the body similar to the circadian rhythm degradation observed in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bravo Santos
authors.affiliation: Technological Institute of Food and Agriculture of Extremadura (INTAEX) , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.|Health Education Laboratory, Experimental Science Education Area, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cubero
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Bromatology Area, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moyano
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mesa
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uguz
authors.affiliation: Chrononutrition Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Extremadura , Badajoz , Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barriga
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology
keywords: actimetry; chronobiology; chronodisruption; elderly; obesity; rats