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Updated: Oct 5, 2025
Light/dark Transition Test for Mice
Published on: November 13, 2006
Strain specific behavioral and physiological responses to constant light in male CBA/J and CBA/CaJ mice
Hannah V Deane1, Holly A Concepcion1, Avery E Gatewood1
1Bridgewater State University, Department of Biological Sciences - Bridgewater - MA - United States.
Objective:
Being visually impaired increases the likelihood of sleep disorders and altered behavior. This study investigated physiological and behavioral differences in two similar mice substrains when exposed to constant light (LL) - CBA/J with retinal degeneration and CBA/CaJ mice (no retinal degeneration).
Material And Methods:
Male CBA/J and CBA/CaJ mice were placed into a 12:12 light:dark cycle or constant light (LL). Open field behavior, metabolic markers, and home-cage circadian activity were observed.
Results:
CBA/CaJ mice have greater circadian period lengthening, increased weight gain, reduced glucose, and increased novelty-induced locomotor activity in LL, compared to CBA/J mice. LL reduced thyroid hormone and insulin in both substrains.
Discussion:
While several baseline substrain differences were elucidated, CBA/CaJ mice were more effected by the exposure to LL than the blind CBA/J mice. These results illustrate that LL causes alterations in physiology and behavior and that circadian photoreceptivity might contribute to these effects.
