Heterogeneity of rhythmic suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons: Implications for circadian waveform and photoperiodic encoding.

ABSTRACT: Circadian rhythms in neuronal ensemble, subpopulations, and single unit activity were recorded in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of rat hypothalamic slices. Decomposition of the ensemble pattern revealed that neuronal subpopulations and single units within the SCN show surprisingly short periods of enhanced electrical activity of approximately 5 h and show maximal activity at different phases of the circadian cycle. The summed activity accounts for the neuronal ensemble pattern of the SCN, indicating that circadian waveform of electrical activity is a composed tissue property. The recorded single unit activity pattern was used to simulate the responsiveness of SCN neurons to different photoperiods. We inferred predictions on changes in peak width, amplitude, and peak time in the multiuni

SUBMITTER: Schaap J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC307681 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature