Acute dim light at night increases body mass, alters metabolism, and shifts core body temperature circadian rhythms (#184)
The circadian system is primarily entrained by the
ambient light environment and is fundamentally linked to metabolism. Mounting
evidence suggests a causal relationship among night-time light exposure, shift
work, and metabolic disease. Previous research has demonstrated altered
metabolic phenotypes elicited by chronic (> 4 weeks) exposure to dim light
at night (DLAN) (~5 lux). However, the metabolic effects of short term (< 2
weeks) exposure to dim light at night are unspecified. We hypothesized that metabolism
is perturbed by just two weeks of dim light at night. Specifically, we
predicted that mice exposed to dim light would gain more body mass, alter whole
body metabolism, and display altered body temperature (Tb) and
activity rhythms compared to mice maintained in dark nights. Our data largely
support these predictions; DLAN mice gained significantly more weight, reduced
whole body energy expenditure, increased carbohydrate over fat oxidation, and
altered circadian temperature rhythms. Importantly, these alterations occurred
despite similar activity locomotor levels (and rhythms) and total food intake
between groups. Peripheral clocks are potently entrained by body temperature
rhythms, and the deregulation of body temperature we observed may contribute to
metabolic problems due to ‘internal desynchrony’ between the central circadian
oscillator and temperature sensitive peripheral clocks. Endocrine changes will
also be presented. We conclude that even
relatively short term exposure to low levels of nighttime light can influence
metabolism to increase weight gain.