Circadian characteristics of corticosterone secretion in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi).

To provide necessary background for study of stress response in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi), the circadian and ultradian rhythm in corticosterone release was characterized. Animals were maintained under a 16h light, 8h dark cycle. A total of 55 males and 46 females provided 101 independent blood samples over a 6-month span. Samples were obtained at 1h to 2h intervals during the light and at 2h intervals during the dark. Using edited data (5 values beyond the upper 95% limit were removed), a significant time effect was found by analysis of variance (ANOVA) for both sexes at P < .001. The composite single cosine best describing the circadian wave-form for each sex consisted of three components (24h, 12h, and 6h), each significant at P < .05 (overall model P < .001). The 24h mean (mesor) was about 60% higher in females than males (646 ng/mL vs. 412 ng/mL, P = .01), with amplitudes of 429 and 298 ng/mL being proportional (66% vs. 72%) to the respective mesor. The predictable range of change within a 24h span (determined by the double amplitude of a 24h + 12h + 6h cosine model) was large: It was more than 1600 ng/mL for females and more than 900 ng/ mL for males. Highest values were found during the dark phase, with the 24h acrophase located at 2h into the dark span for both sexes. With the caveat of fewer samples obtained during dark than during light, the actual peak values for females occurred at 2h and for males at 6h into the 8h dark span. These results provide baseline information about the circadian time structure for serum corticosterone in red-backed voles under normal light-dark, low-stress conditions.