Circadian locomotor rhythms in the desert iguana |
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| Authors: | Daniel S. Janik Gary E. Pickard Michael Menaker |
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| Affiliation: | (1) Department of Biology, University of Oregon, 97403 Eugene, OR, USA;(2) Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, 603 E Daniel St., 61820 Champaign, IL, USA;(3) Present address: Department of Anatomy, Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, 26506 Morgantown, WV, USA;(4) Present address: Department of Biology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, 22901 Charlottesville, VA, USA |
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| Abstract: | Summary Desert iguanas, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, displaying freerunning circadian locomotor rhythms in conditions of constant darkness and temperature received electrolytic lesions to the hypothalamus. The locomotor activity of those lizards (N = 9) which sustained 80% or more damage to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) became arrhythmic whereas all animals that sustained less than 35% damage to the SCN remained rhythmic, even though they sustained significant damage to nearby regions of the hypothalamus and preoptic area. These results suggest strongly that the SCN plays a role in the regulation of circadian rhythms in the desert iguana. Taken together with other evidence, they support the view that this structure is homologous to the mammalian SCN, which acts as a pacemaker in the circadian system.Abbreviations SCN suprachiasmatic nucleus -  freerunning circadian period |
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| Keywords: | Circadian Lizard Suprachiasmatic nucleus Hypothalamus Lesion |
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