Dim light at night prior to adolescence increases adult anxiety-like behaviors.
Dim light at night (dLAN) disrupts circadian organization and influences adult behavior. We examined early dLAN exposure on adult affective responses. Beginning 3 (juvenile) or 5 weeks (adolescent) of age, mice were maintained in standard light-dark cycles or exposed to nightly dLAN (5 lx) for 5 weeks, then anxiety-like and fear responses were assessed. Hypothalami were collected around the clock to assess core clock genes. Exposure to dLAN at either age increased anxiety-like responses in adults. Clock and Rev-ERB expression were altered by exposure to dLAN. In contrast to adults, dLAN exposure during early life increases anxiety and fear behavior.
a Department of Neuroscience, Neuroscience Research Institute, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group , The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center , Columbus , OH , USA.
Yasmine M
YM
Cissé
b Center for Biostatistics , The Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA.
Juan
J
Peng
a Department of Neuroscience, Neuroscience Research Institute, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group , The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center , Columbus , OH , USA.
Randy J
RJ
Nelson
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D017440:Photoperiod
Light at night; anxiety; circadian disruption; early life; fear conditioning