Phase shift of the circannual reproductive rhythm in European hamsters by 2 days of long photoperiod

OBJECTIVEs AND DESIGN: In European hamsters a circannual clock drives the seasonal changes in the reproductive state. Its resetting by photoperiod is clearly phase dependent. In mid subjective winter a 1-month pulse of long photoperiod (LP) advances the onset of the reproductive phase of animals maintained in constant short photoperiod (SP) by up to 1.5 months. The present study investigated whether shorter pulses, i.e. 8, 4 or 2 days LP-pulses are still effective to phase shift the circannual rhythm. MAIN FINDINGS: All pulses induced gonadal development after a similar time relative to the offset of the pulse and earlier than in the control group. Thus, they all shared a similar effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: In European hamsters a very brief LP-pulse can phase shift the reproductive rhythm but its strength is not determined by its duration at least not in the tested range.