Octodon degus: A model for human circadian rhythms.

Abstract

Circadian studies have been conducted almost exclusively on nocturnal species, and many interventions used to treat human circadian disorders are based on the results of these studies. Circadian responsiveness to environmental stimuli may be distinctly different between diurnal and nocturnal mammals. A diurnal animal model would allow a more thorough examination of diurnal mammalian circadian timing. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine whether the Octodon degus, a diurnal South American rodent, is a suitable animal model for the study of diurnal circadian rhythms. Specific aims of this study were to (1) describe the circadian responsiveness of male degus to changes in the light/dark cycle, and (2) examine the influence of estrogen on the circadian rhythms of female degus. Two circadian rhythms were evaluated: running-wheel activity and core temperature. Mini-mitter transmitters were implanted intraperitoneally to enable the measurement of core temperature. Degus are diurnal, displaying consistency in the timing of daily activity onset and temperature minimum. They demonstrate complex variations in the timing and expression of their circadian activity and temperature rhythms similar to that of humans. In a sample of eleven animals, three displayed rhythmic patterns that could be classified as morning or evening chronotypes, previously described only in humans. After large phase shifts ($\ge$6 h) of the lighting schedule, several degus displayed disorganization in the activity and temperature rhythms such as splitting and internal desynchronization. Internal desynchronization is a phenomenon that has only been documented in primates. Female degus (n = 7) demonstrate an increase in activity and core temperature every 20 $\pm$.2 days, at the onset of estrus. While this cyclic phenomenon is abolished in ovariectomized degus, subcutaneous estradiol produces effects on the activity rhythm similar to those of intact females in estrus. Estradiol had no significant effect on core temperature. The findings suggest that more than one ovarian steroid influences temperature, and estrogen alone cannot restore the thermogenic response. These experiments represent the most extensive studies on entrainment of circadian rhythms in a diurnal rodent, and provide a diurnal mammalian model for discovering behavioral/physiological mechanisms possibly relevant to humans.