Wheel-running activity rhythms in two inbred strains of laboratory rats under different photoperiods

Wheel-running activity patterns were studied in two inbred rat strains (ACI/Ztm and LEW/Ztm) under 24-h light-dark cycles with various photoperiods. The ACI strain was characterized by a unimodal activity pattern, whereas the LEW strain exhibited a multimodal activity pattern consisting of two activity bouts about 3-5 h apart. Harmonic spectral analyses and chi square periodograms revealed strain-specific differences in the characteristic rhythmic components of the activity pattern. The ACI strain showed only a strong 24-h rhythm, whereas the LEW strain showed additional rhythmic components with periods of 6, 4.8, and 4 h. Except in very young rats, these strain specific patterns were not affected by an experimental lengthening of the dark period. However, differences between the two strains were found in the free-running period and in the mode of entrainment. Our results indicate that the multimodal activity pattern of the LEW strain is not due to an ultradian bout oscillator, instead it may be the result of a unique coupling of multiple circadian oscillators.