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Zou W, Wu P, Wei X, Zhou D, Deng Y, Jiang Y, Luo B, Liu W, Huo J, Peng S, Feng J. Artificial light affects foraging behavior of a synanthropic bat. Integr Zool 2024; 19:710-720. [PMID: 37987100 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night has been considered an emerging threat to global biodiversity. However, the impacts of artificial light on foraging behavior in most wild animals remain largely unclear. Here, we aimed to assess whether artificial light affects foraging behavior in Asian parti-colored bats (Vespertilio sinensis). We manipulated the spectra of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in a laboratory. Using video and audio recording, we monitored foraging onset, total foraging time, food consumption, freezing behavior (temporary cessation of body movement), and echolocation vocalizations in triads of bats under each lighting condition. Analyses showed that the foraging activities of experimental bats were reduced under LED light. Green, yellow, and red light had greater negative effects on bats' foraging onset, total foraging time, and food consumption than white and blue light. LED light of different spectra induced increased freezing time and echolocation vocalizations in captive bats, except for the white light. The peak wavelength of light emission correlated positively with freezing time, estimated echolocation pulse rate (the number of echolocation pulses per minute), and foraging onset, but negatively with total foraging time and food consumption. These results demonstrate that artificial light disturbs foraging behavior in Asian parti-colored bats. Our findings have implications for understanding the influencing mechanism of light pollution on bat foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Zou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Pan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Xinyi Wei
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Daying Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Yingchun Deng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunke Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Bo Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
- Liziping Giant Panda's Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, China
| | - Wenqin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Jiaxin Huo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Shichen Peng
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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2
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Molcan L, Babarikova K, Cvikova D, Kincelova N, Kubincova L, Mauer Sutovska H. Artificial light at night suppresses the day-night cardiovascular variability: evidence from humans and rats. Pflugers Arch 2024; 476:295-306. [PMID: 38177874 PMCID: PMC10847188 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02901-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) affects most of the population. Through the retinohypothalamic tract, ALAN modulates the activity of the central circadian oscillator and, consequently, various physiological systems, including the cardiovascular one. We summarised the current knowledge about the effects of ALAN on the cardiovascular system in diurnal and nocturnal animals. Based on published data, ALAN reduces the day-night variability of the blood pressure and heart rate in diurnal and nocturnal animals by increasing the nocturnal values of cardiovascular variables in diurnal animals and decreasing them in nocturnal animals. The effects of ALAN on the cardiovascular system are mainly transmitted through the autonomic nervous system. ALAN is also considered a stress-inducing factor, as glucocorticoid and glucose level changes indicate. Moreover, in nocturnal rats, ALAN increases the pressure response to load. In addition, ALAN induces molecular changes in the heart and blood vessels. Changes in the cardiovascular system significantly depend on the duration of ALAN exposure. To some extent, alterations in physical activity can explain the changes observed in the cardiovascular system after ALAN exposure. Although ALAN acts differently on nocturnal and diurnal animals, we can conclude that both exhibit a weakened circadian coordination among physiological systems, which increases the risk of future cardiovascular complications and reduces the ability to anticipate stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubos Molcan
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Babarikova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Diana Cvikova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Natalia Kincelova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Kubincova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hana Mauer Sutovska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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3
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Madison FN, Bingman VP, Smulders TV, Lattin CR. A bird's eye view of the hippocampus beyond space: Behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neuroendocrine perspectives. Horm Behav 2024; 157:105451. [PMID: 37977022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Although the hippocampus is one of the most-studied brain regions in mammals, research on the avian hippocampus has been more limited in scope. It is generally agreed that the hippocampus is an ancient feature of the amniote brain, and therefore homologous between the two lineages. Because birds and mammals are evolutionarily not very closely related, any shared anatomy is likely to be crucial for shared functions of their hippocampi. These functions, in turn, are likely to be essential if they have been conserved for over 300 million years. Therefore, research on the avian hippocampus can help us understand how this brain region evolved and how it has changed over evolutionary time. Further, there is a strong research foundation in birds on hippocampal-supported behaviors such as spatial navigation, food caching, and brood parasitism that scientists can build upon to better understand how hippocampal anatomy, network circuitry, endocrinology, and physiology can help control these behaviors. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the avian hippocampus in spatial cognition as well as in regulating anxiety, approach-avoidance behavior, and stress responses. Although there are still some questions about the exact number of subdivisions in the avian hippocampus and how that might vary in different avian families, there is intriguing evidence that the avian hippocampus might have complementary functional profiles along the rostral-caudal axis similar to the dorsal-ventral axis of the rodent hippocampus, where the rostral/dorsal hippocampus is more involved in cognitive processes like spatial learning and the caudal/ventral hippocampus regulates emotional states, anxiety, and the stress response. Future research should focus on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms - including endocrinological - in the avian hippocampus that underlie behaviors such as spatial navigation, spatial memory, and anxiety-related behaviors, and in so doing, resolve outstanding questions about avian hippocampal function and organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farrah N Madison
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Verner P Bingman
- Department of Psychology, J. P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
| | - Tom V Smulders
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DR, UK
| | - Christine R Lattin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
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4
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Lucon-Xiccato T, De Russi G, Cannicci S, Maggi E, Bertolucci C. Embryonic exposure to artificial light at night impairs learning abilities and their covariance with behavioural traits in teleost fish. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230436. [PMID: 37990566 PMCID: PMC10663786 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The natural light cycle has profound effects on animals' cognitive systems. Its alteration owing to human activities, such as artificial light at night (ALAN), affects the biodiversity of mammalian and avian species by impairing their cognitive functions. The impact of ALAN on cognition, however, has not been investigated in aquatic species, in spite of the common occurrence of this pollution along water bodies. We exposed eggs of a teleost fish (the zebrafish Danio rerio) to ALAN and, upon hatching, we measured larvae' cognitive abilities with a habituation learning paradigm. Both control and ALAN-exposed larvae showed habituation learning, but the latter learned significantly slower, suggesting that under ALAN conditions, fish require many more events to acquire ecologically relevant information. We also found that individuals' learning performance significantly covaried with two behavioural traits in the control zebrafish, but ALAN disrupted one of these relationships. Additionally, ALAN resulted in an average increase in larval activity. Our results showed that both fish's cognitive abilities and related individual differences are negatively impacted by light pollution, even after a short exposure in the embryonic stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Gaia De Russi
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefano Cannicci
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Elena Maggi
- Department of Biology, CoNISMa, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristiano Bertolucci
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Kumar A, Prabhat A, Kumar V, Bhardwaj SK. Artificial night illumination disrupts sleep, and attenuates mood and learning in diurnal animals: evidence from behavior and gene expression studies in zebra finches. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:2247-2257. [PMID: 37329435 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00447-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of an illuminated night on sleep, mood, and cognitive performance in non-seasonal diurnal zebra finches that were exposed for 6 weeks to an ecologically relevant dimly lit night (12L:12dLAN; 150 lx: 5 lx) with controls on the dark night (12L:12D; 150 lx: < 0.01 lx). Food and water were provided ad libitum. Under dLAN (dim light at night), birds showed disrupted nocturnal (frequent awakenings) and overall decreased sleep duration. They also exhibited a compromised novel object exploration, a marker of the bird's mood state, and committed more errors, took significantly longer duration to learn with low retrieval performance of the learned task when tested for a color-discrimination (learning) task under the dLAN. Further, compared to controls, there was reduced mRNA expression level of genes involved in the neurogenesis, neural plasticity (bdnf, dcx and egr1) and motivation (th, drd2, taar1 and htr2c; dopamine synthesis and signaling genes) in the brain (hippocampus (HP), nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), and midbrain) of birds under dLAN. These results show concurrent negative behavioral and molecular neural effects of the dimly illuminated nights, and provide insights into the possible impact on sleep and mental health in diurnal species inhabiting an increasingly urbanized ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwani Kumar
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250004, India
| | - Abhilash Prabhat
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250004, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar Bhardwaj
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 250004, India.
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Sangma JT, Trivedi AK. Light at night: effect on the daily clock, learning, memory, cognition, and expression of transcripts in different brain regions of rat. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:2297-2314. [PMID: 37337065 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00451-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The rapid increase in urbanization is altering the natural composition of the day-night light ratio. The light/dark cycle regulates animal learning, memory, and mood swings. A study was conducted to examine the effect of different quantity and quality of light at night on the daily clock, learning, memory, cognition, and expression of transcripts in key learning centers. Treatment was similar for experiments one to three. Rats were exposed for 30 days to 12 h light and 12 h dark with a night light of 2 lx (dLAN group), 250 lx (LL), or without night light (LD). In experiment one, after 28 days, blood samples were collected and 2 days later, animals were exposed to constant darkness. In experiment two, after 30 days of treatment, animals were subjected to various tests involving learning, memory, and cognition. In experiment three, after 30 days of treatment, animals were sampled, and transcript levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase, Growth-Associated Protein 43, Neurogranin, microRNA-132, cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein, Glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and Tumor necrosis factor α were measured in hippocampus, thalamus, and cortex tissues. In experiment four, animals were exposed to night light of 0.019 W/m2 but of either red (640 nm), green (540 nm), or blue (450 nm) wavelength for 30 days, and similar tests were performed as mentioned in experiment 2. While in experiment five, after 30 days of respective wavelength treatments, all animals were sampled for gene expression studies. Our results show that exposure to dLAN and LL affects the daily clock as reflected by altered melatonin secretion and locomotor activity, compromises the learning, memory, and cognitive ability, and alterations in the expression levels of transcripts in the hypothalamus, cortex, and thalamus. The effect is night light intensity dependent. Further, blue light at night has less drastic effects than green and red light. These results could be of the potential use of framing the policies for the use of light at night.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Sangma
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Amit K Trivedi
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India.
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7
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Lees J, Pèrtille F, Løtvedt P, Jensen P, Bosagna CG. The mitoepigenome responds to stress, suggesting novel mito-nuclear interactions in vertebrates. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:561. [PMID: 37736707 PMCID: PMC10515078 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09668-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitochondria are central in the cellular response to changing environmental conditions resulting from disease states, environmental exposures or normal physiological processes. Although the influences of environmental stressors upon the nuclear epigenome are well characterized, the existence and role of the mitochondrial epigenome remains contentious. Here, by quantifying the mitochondrial epigenomic response of pineal gland cells to circadian stress, we confirm the presence of extensive cytosine methylation within the mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, we identify distinct epigenetically plastic regions (mtDMRs) which vary in cytosinic methylation, primarily in a non CpG context, in response to stress and in a sex-specific manner. Motifs enriched in mtDMRs contain recognition sites for nuclear-derived DNA-binding factors (ATF4, HNF4A) important in the cellular metabolic stress response, which we found to be conserved across diverse vertebrate taxa. Together, these findings suggest a new layer of mito-nuclear interaction in which the nuclear metabolic stress response could alter mitochondrial transcriptional dynamics through the binding of nuclear-derived transcription factors in a methylation-dependent context.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Lees
- Evolutionsbiologiskt Centrum (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75236, Sweden
| | - Fábio Pèrtille
- Evolutionsbiologiskt Centrum (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75236, Sweden
| | - Pia Løtvedt
- Institutionen För Fysik, Kemi Och Biologi (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, 58330, Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- Institutionen För Fysik, Kemi Och Biologi (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, 58330, Sweden
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Hui CK, Chen N, Chakraborty A, Alaasam V, Pieraut S, Ouyang JQ. Dim artificial light at night alters immediate early gene expression throughout the avian brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1194996. [PMID: 37469841 PMCID: PMC10352805 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1194996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive pollutant that alters physiology and behavior. However, the underlying mechanisms triggering these alterations are unknown, as previous work shows that dim levels of ALAN may have a masking effect, bypassing the central clock. Light stimulates neuronal activity in numerous brain regions which could in turn activate downstream effectors regulating physiological response. In the present study, taking advantage of immediate early gene (IEG) expression as a proxy for neuronal activity, we determined the brain regions activated in response to ALAN. We exposed zebra finches to dim ALAN (1.5 lux) and analyzed 24 regions throughout the brain. We found that the overall expression of two different IEGs, cFos and ZENK, in birds exposed to ALAN were significantly different from birds inactive at night. Additionally, we found that ALAN-exposed birds had significantly different IEG expression from birds inactive at night and active during the day in several brain areas associated with vision, movement, learning and memory, pain processing, and hormone regulation. These results give insight into the mechanistic pathways responding to ALAN that underlie downstream, well-documented behavioral and physiological changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra K. Hui
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
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Zeman M, Okuliarova M, Rumanova VS. Disturbances of Hormonal Circadian Rhythms by Light Pollution. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087255. [PMID: 37108420 PMCID: PMC10138516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The circadian rhythms evolved to anticipate and cope with cyclic changes in environmental conditions. This adaptive function is currently compromised by increasing levels of artificial light at night (ALAN), which can represent a risk for the development of diseases of civilisation. The causal links are not completely understood, and this featured review focuses on the chronodisruption of the neuroendocrine control of physiology and behaviour by dim ALAN. The published data indicate that low levels of ALAN (2-5 lux) can attenuate the molecular mechanisms generating circadian rhythms in the central oscillator, eliminate the rhythmic changes in dominant hormonal signals, such as melatonin, testosterone and vasopressin, and interfere with the circadian rhythm of the dominant glucocorticoid corticosterone in rodents. These changes are associated with a disturbed daily pattern of metabolic changes and behavioural rhythms in activity and food and water intake. The increasing levels of ALAN require the identification of the pathways mediating possible negative consequences on health to design effective mitigation strategies to eliminate or minimise the effects of light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Okuliarova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Valentina Sophia Rumanova
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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10
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Grunst ML, Grunst AS. Endocrine effects of exposure to artificial light at night: A review and synthesis of knowledge gaps. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 568-569:111927. [PMID: 37019171 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.111927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Animals have evolved with natural patterns of light and darkness, such that light serves as an important zeitgeber, allowing adaptive synchronization of behavior and physiology to external conditions. Exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) interferes with this process, resulting in dysregulation of endocrine systems. In this review, we evaluate the endocrine effects of ALAN exposure in birds and reptiles, identify major knowledge gaps, and highlight areas for future research. There is strong evidence for ecologically relevant levels of ALAN acting as an environmental endocrine disruptor. However, most studies focus on the pineal hormone melatonin, corticosterone release via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, or regulation of reproductive hormones via the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, leaving effects on other endocrine systems largely unknown. We call for more research spanning a diversity of hormonal systems and levels of endocrine regulation (e.g. circulating hormone levels, receptor numbers, strength of negative feedback), and investigating involvement of molecular mechanisms, such as clock genes, in hormonal responses. In addition, longer-term studies are needed to elucidate potentially distinct effects arising from chronic exposure. Other important areas for future research effort include investigating intraspecific and interspecific variability in sensitivity to light exposure, further distinguishing between distinct effects of different types of light sources, and assessing impacts of ALAN exposure early in life, when endocrine systems remain sensitive to developmental programming. The effects of ALAN on endocrine systems are likely to have a plethora of downstream effects, with implications for individual fitness, population persistence, and community dynamics, especially within urban and suburban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENS), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000, La Rochelle, France.
| | - Andrea S Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENS), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, FR-17000, La Rochelle, France
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11
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Deviche P, Sweazea K, Angelier F. Past and future: Urbanization and the avian endocrine system. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 332:114159. [PMID: 36368439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Urban environments are evolutionarily novel and differ from natural environments in many respects including food and/or water availability, predation, noise, light, air quality, pathogens, biodiversity, and temperature. The success of organisms in urban environments requires physiological plasticity and adjustments that have been described extensively, including in birds residing in geographically and climatically diverse regions. These studies have revealed a few relatively consistent differences between urban and non-urban conspecifics. For example, seasonally breeding urban birds often develop their reproductive system earlier than non-urban birds, perhaps in response to more abundant trophic resources. In most instances, however, analyses of existing data indicate no general pattern distinguishing urban and non-urban birds. It is, for instance, often hypothesized that urban environments are stressful, yet the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis does not differ consistently between urban and non-urban birds. A similar conclusion is reached by comparing blood indices of metabolism. The origin of these disparities remains poorly understood, partly because many studies are correlative rather than aiming at establishing causality, which effectively limits our ability to formulate specific hypotheses regarding the impacts of urbanization on wildlife. We suggest that future research will benefit from prioritizing mechanistic approaches to identify environmental factors that shape the phenotypic responses of organisms to urbanization and the neuroendocrine and metabolic bases of these responses. Further, it will be critical to elucidate whether factors affect these responses (a) cumulatively or synergistically; and (b) differentially as a function of age, sex, reproductive status, season, and mobility within the urban environment. Research to date has used various taxa that differ greatly not only phylogenetically, but also with regard to ecological requirements, social systems, propensity to consume anthropogenic food, and behavioral responses to human presence. Researchers may instead benefit from standardizing approaches to examine a small number of representative models with wide geographic distribution and that occupy diverse urban ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Deviche
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Karen Sweazea
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Frederic Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR7372, CNRS - La Rochelle Universite, Villiers en Bois, France
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Jerigova V, Zeman M, Okuliarova M. Circadian Disruption and Consequences on Innate Immunity and Inflammatory Response. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213722. [PMID: 36430199 PMCID: PMC9690954 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms control almost all aspects of physiology and behavior, allowing temporal synchrony of these processes between each other, as well as with the external environment. In the immune system, daily rhythms of leukocyte functions can determine the strength of the immune response, thereby regulating the efficiency of defense mechanisms to cope with infections or tissue injury. The natural light/dark cycle is the prominent synchronizing agent perceived by the circadian clock, but this role of light is highly compromised by irregular working schedules and unintentional exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN). The primary concern is disrupted circadian control of important physiological processes, underlying potential links to adverse health effects. Here, we first discuss the immune consequences of genetic circadian disruption induced by mutation or deletion of specific clock genes. Next, we evaluate experimental research into the effects of disruptive light/dark regimes, particularly light-phase shifts, dim ALAN, and constant light on the innate immune mechanisms under steady state and acute inflammation, and in the pathogenesis of common lifestyle diseases. We suggest that a better understanding of the mechanisms by which circadian disruption influences immune status can be of importance in the search for strategies to minimize the negative consequences of chronodisruption on health.
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Levy K, Fishman B, Barnea A, Ayali A, Tauber E. Transcriptional Response of Circadian Clock Genes to an ‘Artificial Light at Night’ Pulse in the Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911358. [PMID: 36232659 PMCID: PMC9570371 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Light is the major signal entraining the circadian clock that regulates physiological and behavioral rhythms in most organisms, including insects. Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts the natural light–dark cycle and negatively impacts animals at various levels. We simulated ALAN using dim light stimuli and tested their impact on gene expression in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a model of insect physiology and chronobiology. At night, adult light–dark-regime-raised crickets were exposed for 30 min to a light pulse of 2–40 lx. The relative expression of five circadian-clock-associated genes was compared using qPCR. A dim ALAN pulse elicited tissue-dependent differential expression in some of these genes. The strongest effect was observed in the brain and in the optic lobe, the cricket’s circadian pacemaker. The expression of opsin-Long Wave (opLW) was upregulated, as well as cryptochrome1-2 (cry) and period (per). Our findings demonstrate that even a dim ALAN exposure may affect insects at the molecular level, underscoring the impact of ALAN on the circadian clock system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Levy
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Bettina Fishman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Raanana 4353701, Israel
| | - Amir Ayali
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (E.T.)
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (E.T.)
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Buniyaadi A, Prabhat A, Bhardwaj SK, Kumar V. Night melatonin levels affect cognition in diurnal animals: Molecular insights from a corvid exposed to an illuminated night environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 308:119618. [PMID: 35714793 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of nocturnal melatonin secretion in the cognitive performance of diurnal animals. An initial experiment measured the cognitive performance in Indian house crows treated for 11 days with 12 h light at 1.426 W/m2 (∼150 lux) coupled with 12 h of 0.058 W/m2 (∼6-lux) dim light at night (dLAN) or with absolute darkness (0 lux dark night, LD). dLAN treatment significantly decreased midnight melatonin levels and negatively impacted cognitive performance. Subsequently, the role of exogenous melatonin (50 μg; administered intraperitoneally half an hour before the night began) was assessed on the regulation of cognitive performance in two separate experimental cohorts of crows kept under dLAN; LD controls received vehicle. Exogenous melatonin restored its mid-night levels under dLAN at par with those under LD controls, and improved the cognitive performance, as measured in the innovative problem-solving, and spatial and pattern learning-memory efficiency tests in dLAN-treated crows. There were concurrent molecular changes in the cognition-associated brain areas, namely the hippocampus, nidopallium caudolaterale and midbrain. In particular, the expression levels of genes involved in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity (bdnf, dcx, egr1, creb), and dopamine synthesis and signalling (th, drd1, drd2, darpp32, taar1) were restored to LD control levels in crows treated with illuminated nights and received melatonin. These results demonstrate that the maintenance of nocturnal melatonin levels is crucial for an optimal higher-order brain function in diurnal animals in the face of an environmental threat, such as light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaan Buniyaadi
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India
| | - Abhilash Prabhat
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India
| | | | - Vinod Kumar
- IndoUS Center in Chronobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India.
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15
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Dominoni DM, de Jong M, van Oers K, O'Shaughnessy P, Blackburn GJ, Atema E, Mateman AC, D'Amelio PB, Trost L, Bellingham M, Clark J, Visser ME, Helm B. Integrated molecular and behavioural data reveal deep circadian disruption in response to artificial light at night in male Great tits (Parus major). Sci Rep 2022; 12:1553. [PMID: 35091579 PMCID: PMC8799718 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05059-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally increasing levels of artificial light at night (ALAN) are associated with shifting rhythms of behaviour in many wild species. However, it is unclear whether changes in behavioural timing are paralleled by consistent shifts in the molecular clock and its associated physiological pathways. Inconsistent shifts between behavioural and molecular rhythms, and between different tissues and physiological systems, disrupt the circadian system, which coordinates all major body functions. We therefore compared behavioural, transcriptional and metabolomic responses of captive great tits (Parus major) to three ALAN intensities or to dark nights, recording activity and sampling brain, liver, spleen and blood at mid-day and midnight. ALAN advanced wake-up time, and this shift was paralleled by advanced expression of the clock gene BMAL1 in all tissues, suggesting close links between behaviour and clock gene expression across tissues. However, further analysis of gene expression and metabolites revealed that clock shifts were inconsistent across physiological systems. Untargeted metabolomic profiling showed that only 9.7% of the 755 analysed metabolites followed the behavioural shift. This high level of desynchronization indicates that ALAN disrupted the circadian system on a deep, easily overlooked level. Thus, circadian disruption could be a key mediator of health impacts of ALAN on wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Maaike de Jong
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter O'Shaughnessy
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Gavin J Blackburn
- Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Els Atema
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A Christa Mateman
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pietro B D'Amelio
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
- Centre d'Ecologie Functionnelle et Evolutive, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul-Valery Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Lisa Trost
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Michelle Bellingham
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jessica Clark
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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16
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Artificial Light at Night, Higher Brain Functions and Associated Neuronal Changes: An Avian Perspective. BIRDS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/birds3010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent times, there has been an unprecedented increase in usage of electrical lightning. This has led to increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), and it has been suggested as a source of environmental pollution. ALAN exposure has been reported to be associated with disruption of daily rhythms and serious health consequences, such as immune, metabolic, and cognitive dysfunctions in both birds and mammals. Given the worldwide pervasiveness of ALAN, this research topic is also important from an ecological perspective. In birds, daily timings and appropriate temporal niches are important for fitness and survival. Daily rhythms in a wide array of functions are regulated by the circadian clock(s) and endogenous oscillators present in the body. There is accumulating evidence that exposure to ALAN disrupts clock-regulated daily rhythms and suppresses melatonin and sleep in birds. Circadian clock, melatonin, and sleep regulate avian cognitive performance. However, there is limited research on this topic, and most of the insights on the adverse effects of ALAN on cognitive functions are from behavioural studies. Nevertheless, these results raise an intriguing question about the molecular underpinning of the ALAN-induced negative consequences on brain functions. Further research should be focused on the molecular links between ALAN and cognitive performance, including the role of melatonin, which could shed light on the mechanism by which ALAN exposures lead to negative consequences.
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17
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A Systematic Review for Establishing Relevant Environmental Parameters for Urban Lighting: Translating Research into Practice. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The application of lighting technologies developed in the 20th century has increased the brightness and changed the spectral composition of nocturnal night-time habitats and night skies across urban, peri-urban, rural, and pristine landscapes, and subsequently, researchers have observed the disturbance of biological rhythms of flora and fauna. To reduce these impacts, it is essential to translate relevant knowledge about the potential adverse effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) from research into applicable urban lighting practice. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify and report, via a systematic review, the effects of exposure to different physical properties of artificial light sources on various organism groups, including plants, arthropods, insects, spiders, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and non-human mammals (including bats, rodents, and primates). PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used to identify a total of 1417 studies from Web of Science and PubMed. In 216 studies, diverse behavioral and physiological responses were observed across taxa when organisms were exposed to ALAN. The studies showed that the responses were dependent on high illuminance levels, duration of light exposure, and unnatural color spectra at night and also highlighted where research gaps remain in the domains of ALAN research and urban lighting practice. To avoid misinterpretation, and to define a common language, key terminologies and definitions connected to natural and artificial light have been provided. Furthermore, the adverse impacts of ALAN urgently need to be better researched, understood, and managed for the development of future lighting guidelines and standards to optimize sustainable design applications that preserve night-time environment(s) and their inhabiting flora and fauna.
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18
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Light at night disrupts biological clocks, calendars, and immune function. Semin Immunopathol 2021; 44:165-173. [PMID: 34731290 PMCID: PMC8564795 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00899-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Light at night is a pervasive problem in our society; over 80% of the world’s population experiences significant light pollution. Exacerbating this issue is the reality that artificially lit outdoor areas are growing by 2.2% per year and continuously lit areas brighten by 2.2% each year due to the rapid growths in population and urbanization. Furthermore, the increase in the prevalence of night shift work and smart device usage contributes to the inescapable nature of artificial light at night (ALAN). Although previously assumed to be innocuous, ALAN has deleterious effects on the circadian system and circadian-regulated physiology, particularly immune function. Due to the relevance of ALAN to the general population, it is important to understand its roles in disrupting immune function. This review presents a synopsis of the effects of ALAN on circadian clocks and immune function. We delineate the role of ALAN in altering clock gene expression and suppressing melatonin. We review the effects of light at night on inflammation and the innate and adaptive immune systems in various species to demonstrate the wide range of ALAN consequences. Finally, we propose future directions to provide further clarity and expansion of the field.
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19
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Levy K, Wegrzyn Y, Efronny R, Barnea A, Ayali A. Lifelong exposure to artificial light at night impacts stridulation and locomotion activity patterns in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211626. [PMID: 34547907 PMCID: PMC8456136 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms experience a worldwide continuous increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), negatively affecting their behaviour. The field cricket, an established model in physiology and behaviour, can provide insights into the effect of ALAN on insect behaviour. The stridulation and locomotion patterns of adult male crickets reared under different lifelong ALAN intensities were monitored simultaneously for five consecutive days in custom-made anechoic chambers. Daily activity periods and acrophases were compared between the experimental groups. Control crickets exhibited a robust rhythm, stridulating at night and demonstrating locomotor activity during the day. By contrast, ALAN affected both the relative level and timing of the crickets' nocturnal and diurnal activity. ALAN induced free-running patterns, manifested in significant changes in the median and variance of the activity periods, and even arrhythmic behaviour. The magnitude of disruption was light intensity dependent, revealing an increase in the difference between the activity periods calculated for stridulation and locomotion in the same individual. This finding may indicate the existence of two peripheral clocks. Our results demonstrate that ecologically relevant ALAN intensities affect crickets' behavioural patterns, and may lead to decoupling of locomotion and stridulation behaviours at the individual level, and to loss of synchronization at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Levy
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Yoav Wegrzyn
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ronny Efronny
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra'anana 43107, Israel
| | - Amir Ayali
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
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20
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Yang Y, Feng Y, Hu Y, Liu J, Shi H, Zhao R. Exposure to constant light impairs cognition with FTO inhibition and m 6A-dependent TrκB repression in mouse hippocampus. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 283:117037. [PMID: 33866220 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA methylation plays a role in various brain functions. Exposure to chronic constant light (CCL) has been reported to impair cognition, yet whether the underlying mechanism involves m6A remains unknown. In this study, mice exposed to CCL for 3 weeks show impaired cognitive behavior, which was associated with increased m6A level in hippocampus. Accordingly, the m6A demethylase FTO was inhibited while the methyltransferases METTL3, METTL14 and WTAP, as well as the reader protein YTHDF2, were elevated in the hippocampus of CCL-exposed mice. CCL exposure significantly activated hippocampal expression of circadian regulator cryptochrome 1 and 2 (CRY1 and 2). Meanwhile, hippocampal neurogenesis was impaired with suppression of BDNF/TrκB/ERK pathway. To further delineate the signaling pathway and the role of m6A, we altered the expression of CRY1/2 in hippocampus neuron cells. CRY1/2 overexpression inhibited FTO and increased m6A levels, while CRY1/2 knockdown led to opposite results. Luciferase reporter analysis further confirmed CRY1/2-induced FTO suppression. Furthermore, FTO knockdown increased m6A on 3'UTR of TrκB mRNA, and decreased TrκB mRNA stability and TrκB protein expression, in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. These results indicate that CCL-activated CRY1/2 causes transcriptional inhibition of FTO, which suppresses TrκB expression in hippocampus via m6A-dependent post-transcriptional regulation and contributes to impaired cognitive behavior in mice exposed to constant light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Yue Feng
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Yun Hu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Jie Liu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Hailing Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ruqian Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
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21
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Alaasam VJ, Liu X, Niu Y, Habibian JS, Pieraut S, Ferguson BS, Zhang Y, Ouyang JQ. Effects of dim artificial light at night on locomotor activity, cardiovascular physiology, and circadian clock genes in a diurnal songbird. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 282:117036. [PMID: 33838441 PMCID: PMC8184626 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light is transforming the nighttime environment and quickly becoming one of the most pervasive pollutants on earth. Across taxa, light entrains endogenous circadian clocks that function to synchronize behavioral and physiological rhythms with natural photoperiod. Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts these photoperiodic cues and has consequences for humans and wildlife including sleep disruption, physiological stress and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms underlying organismal responses to dim ALAN, resembling light pollution, remain elusive. Light pollution exists in the environment at lower levels (<5 lux) than tested in many laboratory studies that link ALAN to circadian rhythm disruption. Few studies have linked dim ALAN to both the upstream regulators of circadian rhythms and downstream behavioral and physiological consequences. We exposed zebra finches (Taeniopygia gutatta) to dim ALAN (1.5 lux) and measured circadian expression of five pacemaker genes in central and peripheral tissues, plasma melatonin, locomotor activity, and biomarkers of cardiovascular health. ALAN caused an increase in nighttime activity and, for males, cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, downstream effects were detectable after just short duration exposure (10 days) and at dim levels that mimic the intensity of environmental light pollution. However, ALAN did not affect circulating melatonin nor oscillations of circadian gene expression in the central clock (brain) or liver. These findings suggest that dim ALAN can alter behavior and physiology without strong shifts in the rhythmic expression of molecular circadian pacemakers. Approaches that focus on ecologically-relevant ALAN and link complex biological pathways are necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying vertebrate responses to light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina J Alaasam
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA; Program of Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Ye Niu
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Justine S Habibian
- Department of Nutrition, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Simon Pieraut
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Brad S Ferguson
- Department of Nutrition, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA; Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Signal Transduction in the Cardiovascular System, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Jenny Q Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
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22
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Ren Z, Chen Y, Liu F, Ma X, Ma J, Liu G. Effects of artificial light with different wavelengths and irradiances on the sleep behaviors of Chestnut buntings (Emberiza rutila). BIOL RHYTHM RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2021.1958542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuofei Ren
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuqi Chen
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Fangbo Liu
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinlong Ma
- Biomechanics Laboratory of Orthopaedics Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianxiong Ma
- Biomechanics Laboratory of Orthopaedics Institute, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Gang Liu
- School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Architectural Physical Environment and Ecological Technologies, Tianjin, China
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23
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Evidence That Artificial Light at Night Induces Structure-Specific Changes in Brain Plasticity in a Diurnal Bird. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081069. [PMID: 34439736 PMCID: PMC8394529 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently reported that artificial light at night (ALAN), at ecologically relevant intensities (1.5, 5 lux), increases cell proliferation in the ventricular zone and recruitment of new neurons in several forebrain regions of female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), along with a decrease of total neuronal densities in some of these regions (indicating possible neuronal death). In the present study, we exposed male zebra finches to the same ALAN intensities, treated them with 5′-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine, quantified cell proliferation and neuronal recruitment in several forebrain regions, and compared them to controls that were kept under dark nights. ALAN increased cell proliferation in the ventricular zone, similar to our previous findings in females. We also found, for the first time, that ALAN increased new neuronal recruitment in HVC and Area X, which are part of the song system in the brain and are male-specific. In other brain regions, such as the medial striatum, nidopallium caudale, and hippocampus, we recorded an increased neuronal recruitment only in the medial striatum (unlike our previous findings in females), and relative to the controls this increase was less prominent than in females. Moreover, the effect of ALAN duration on total neuronal densities in the studied regions varied between the sexes, supporting the suggestion that males are more resilient to ALAN than females. Suppression of nocturnal melatonin levels after ALAN exhibited a light intensity-dependent decrease in males in contrast to females, another indication that males might be less affected by ALAN. Taken together, our study emphasizes the importance of studying both sexes when considering ALAN effects on brain plasticity.
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Aulsebrook AE, Johnsson RD, Lesku JA. Light, Sleep and Performance in Diurnal Birds. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3:115-131. [PMID: 33525352 PMCID: PMC7931117 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep has a multitude of benefits and is generally considered necessary for optimal performance. Disruption of sleep by extended photoperiods, moonlight and artificial light could therefore impair performance in humans and non-human animals alike. Here, we review the evidence for effects of light on sleep and subsequent performance in birds. There is accumulating evidence that exposure to natural and artificial sources of light regulates and suppresses sleep in diurnal birds. Sleep also benefits avian cognitive performance, including during early development. Nevertheless, multiple studies suggest that light can prolong wakefulness in birds without impairing performance. Although there is still limited research on this topic, these results raise intriguing questions about the adaptive value of sleep. Further research into the links between light, sleep and performance, including the underlying mechanisms and consequences for fitness, could shed new light on sleep evolution and urban ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E. Aulsebrook
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Robin D. Johnsson
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
| | - John A. Lesku
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (R.D.J.); (J.A.L.)
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Falcón J, Torriglia A, Attia D, Viénot F, Gronfier C, Behar-Cohen F, Martinsons C, Hicks D. Exposure to Artificial Light at Night and the Consequences for Flora, Fauna, and Ecosystems. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:602796. [PMID: 33304237 PMCID: PMC7701298 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.602796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present review draws together wide-ranging studies performed over the last decades that catalogue the effects of artificial-light-at-night (ALAN) upon living species and their environment. We provide an overview of the tremendous variety of light-detection strategies which have evolved in living organisms - unicellular, plants and animals, covering chloroplasts (plants), and the plethora of ocular and extra-ocular organs (animals). We describe the visual pigments which permit photo-detection, paying attention to their spectral characteristics, which extend from the ultraviolet into infrared. We discuss how organisms use light information in a way crucial for their development, growth and survival: phototropism, phototaxis, photoperiodism, and synchronization of circadian clocks. These aspects are treated in depth, as their perturbation underlies much of the disruptive effects of ALAN. The review goes into detail on circadian networks in living organisms, since these fundamental features are of critical importance in regulating the interface between environment and body. Especially, hormonal synthesis and secretion are often under circadian and circannual control, hence perturbation of the clock will lead to hormonal imbalance. The review addresses how the ubiquitous introduction of light-emitting diode technology may exacerbate, or in some cases reduce, the generalized ever-increasing light pollution. Numerous examples are given of how widespread exposure to ALAN is perturbing many aspects of plant and animal behaviour and survival: foraging, orientation, migration, seasonal reproduction, colonization and more. We examine the potential problems at the level of individual species and populations and extend the debate to the consequences for ecosystems. We stress, through a few examples, the synergistic harmful effects resulting from the impacts of ALAN combined with other anthropogenic pressures, which often impact the neuroendocrine loops in vertebrates. The article concludes by debating how these anthropogenic changes could be mitigated by more reasonable use of available technology - for example by restricting illumination to more essential areas and hours, directing lighting to avoid wasteful radiation and selecting spectral emissions, to reduce impact on circadian clocks. We end by discussing how society should take into account the potentially major consequences that ALAN has on the natural world and the repercussions for ongoing human health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Falcón
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), MNHN, CNRS FRE 2030, SU, IRD 207, UCN, UA, Paris, France
| | - Alicia Torriglia
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | - Dina Attia
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Claude Gronfier
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Waking Team, Inserm UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Francine Behar-Cohen
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | | | - David Hicks
- Inserm, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Peregrym M, Pénzesné Kónya E, Falchi F. Very important dark sky areas in Europe and the Caucasus region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 274:111167. [PMID: 32791325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ALAN (artificial light at night) can give, if done adequately, a lot of benefits for human society, but it affects reproduction, navigation, foraging, habitat selection, communication, trophic and social interactions of the biota in the same time. Taking into account dramatic increase in light pollution of the night sky and night environment during the past decades, the creation of refugia where natural habitats are not influenced by ALAN is very important. We selected promising territories without, or with a low impact of, ALAN for the development of a VIDA (Very Important Dark Area) Network in Europe and the Caucasus region. 54 VIDAs within the borders of 30 countries were chosen, located in different biogeographic regions, at different altitudes, and in juxtaposition with protected areas. Special attention has been paid to sea and ocean islands, non-polluted by ALAN, as well as to large parts of European Russia and Kazakhstan where there is still a low level of light pollution. These places might be a basis for the protection of biodiversity from the consequences of ALAN, and they can also serve as key education centers for increasing the awareness of the problem of light pollution of the sky at night. Due to the fact that light propagates far away in the atmosphere, the protection of VIDAs can be obtained only if a strong anti-light pollution action is enforced also in the surrounding areas, at least 100 km from the borders of the VIDAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mykyta Peregrym
- Eszterházy Károly University, Leanyka Str., 6-8, Eger, 3300, Hungary.
| | | | - Fabio Falchi
- Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell'Inquinamento Luminoso (Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute), 36016, Thiene, Italy; Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
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Moaraf S, Heiblum R, Vistoropsky Y, Okuliarová M, Zeman M, Barnea A. Artificial Light at Night Increases Recruitment of New Neurons and Differentially Affects Various Brain Regions in Female Zebra Finches. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6140. [PMID: 32858878 PMCID: PMC7503983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite growing evidence that demonstrate adverse effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) on many species, relatively little is known regarding its effects on brain plasticity in birds. We recently showed that although ALAN increases cell proliferation in brains of birds, neuronal densities in two brain regions decreased, indicating neuronal death, which might be due to mortality of newly produced neurons or of existing ones. Therefore, in the present study we studied the effect of long-term ALAN on the recruitment of newborn neurons into their target regions in the brain. Accordingly, we exposed zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to 5 lux ALAN, and analysed new neuronal recruitment and total neuronal densities in several brain regions. We found that ALAN increased neuronal recruitment, possibly as a compensatory response to ALAN-induced neuronal death, and/or due to increased nocturnal locomotor activity caused by sleep disruption. Moreover, ALAN also had a differential temporal effect on neuronal densities, because hippocampus was more sensitive to ALAN and its neuronal densities were more affected than in other brain regions. Nocturnal melatonin levels under ALAN were significantly lower compared to controls, indicating that very low ALAN intensities suppress melatonin not only in nocturnal, but also in diurnal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stan Moaraf
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra’anana 43710, Israel; (R.H.); (Y.V.); (A.B.)
| | - Rachel Heiblum
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra’anana 43710, Israel; (R.H.); (Y.V.); (A.B.)
| | - Yulia Vistoropsky
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra’anana 43710, Israel; (R.H.); (Y.V.); (A.B.)
| | - Monika Okuliarová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 84215 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; (M.O.); (M.Z.)
| | - Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, 84215 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; (M.O.); (M.Z.)
| | - Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra’anana 43710, Israel; (R.H.); (Y.V.); (A.B.)
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