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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Published on: January 24, 2013

The cholinergic system, circadian rhythmicity, and time memory.

R A Hut¹, E A Van der Zee

¹Chronobiology Unit, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborg 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands. r.a.hut@rug.nl

Behavioural Brain Research

|December 1, 2010

Summary

The mammalian cholinergic system interacts with the circadian system to support time memory formation through

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Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

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Published on: January 24, 2013

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Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

Published on: November 11, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Chronobiology
Neurochemistry

Background:

Circadian rhythms influence acetylcholine (ACh) release, enzyme activity, and receptor expression.
Cholinergic system activity, including ACh release and enzyme function, exhibits daily fluctuations.
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the brain's master clock, receives cholinergic input.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the interaction between the mammalian cholinergic and circadian systems.
To explore the role of this interaction in time memory formation.
To propose a hypothesis for the function of cholinergic neurotransmission in the SCN.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on cholinergic and circadian systems.
Analysis of species- and strain-specific variations in cholinergic rhythms.
Examination of SCN cholinergic innervation and local neuron presence.

Main Results:

Circadian rhythmicity in the cholinergic system shows high ACh release during active phases.
The SCN contains local cholinergic neurons in rats, fewer in hamsters, and none in mice.
ACh has an excitatory effect on SCN cells and interacts with other neurotransmitters.

Conclusions:

Cholinergic neurotransmission in the SCN may support time memory via 'time stamping'.
This process requires muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) and is linked to brief, arousing events.
The SCN may use vasopressin (AVP) to transmit time-of-day information for memory consolidation in other brain regions.