Circadian Rhythm in the Visual System of the Lizard Anolis carolinensis

The electroretinogram (ERG) was recorded from free-moving Anolis lizards once per hour for 5 days. As in our previous work, the b-wave, but not the a-wave, showed a reliable circadian rhythm (CR) in amplitude, with an acrophase near projected noon. Both the a- and b-waves showed a CR in peak time (i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biological rhythms 1993-07, Vol.8 (2), p.107-124
Main Authors: Shaw, Andrew P., Collazo, C. Raul, Easterling, Keith, Young, Cheryl D., Karwoski, Chester J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anolis
Anolis carolinensis
Circadian rhythm
Circadian Rhythm - physiology
Circadian rhythms
Electroretinograms
Electroretinography
Evoked Potentials
Lacertilia
Light effects
Lizards
Lizards - physiology
Melatonin
Parietal Lobe - physiology
Parietal Lobe - surgery
Pineal gland
Pineal Gland - physiology
Pineal Gland - surgery
Retina
Retina - physiology
Seasonal variations
Seasons
Tectum Mesencephali - physiology
Visual system
Waveforms
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Summary:The electroretinogram (ERG) was recorded from free-moving Anolis lizards once per hour for 5 days. As in our previous work, the b-wave, but not the a-wave, showed a reliable circadian rhythm (CR) in amplitude, with an acrophase near projected noon. Both the a- and b-waves showed a CR in peak time (implicit time, or IT), with the a-wave IT being longest near midnight, and the b-wave IT at midday. Acrophases were shifted when animals were housed on a phase-shifted light-dark cycle. The ERG CR was unaffected by removal of the parietal organ, but it was virtually abolished by removal of the pineal gland, thus suggesting that pineal output (probably melatonin) modulates retinal responses. In addition to the ERG, the tectal light-evoked potential exhibited a CR—a finding compatible with a circadian variation in retinal output. Lastly, the amplitude of the ERG component waveforms showed a seasonal variation, but the ERG CR was constant across the year.
ISSN:0748-7304
1552-4531
DOI:10.1177/074873049300800202