The Journal of physiologyMay 10, 2012

Low-Calorie Feeding May Reset the Daily Body Clock in Daytime Animals

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 4, 2026

Abstract

Hypocaloric feeding (HF) alters circadian rhythms in the diurnal rodent Arvicanthis ansorgei.

HF leads to phase delays in locomotor activity and plasma corticosterone rhythms under a light–dark cycle.
Constant darkness with HF entrains circadian behavior, unlike normocaloric feeding.
Gene oscillations of Per2 and vasopressin in the suprachiasmatic nucleus are phase delayed in HF-fed Arvicanthis.
Light-induced expression of Per genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is modified by HF in Arvicanthis.
The effects of HF on circadian rhythms in Arvicanthis differ from those observed in nocturnal rodents.

Simplified

Caloric restriction attenuates the onset of a number of pathologies related to ageing. In mammals, circadian rhythms, controlled by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic (SCN) clock, are altered with ageing. Although light is the main synchronizer for the clock, a daily hypocaloric feeding (HF) may also modulate the SCN activity in nocturnal rodents. Here we report that a HF also affects behavioural, physiological and molecular circadian rhythms of the diurnal rodent Arvicanthis ansorgei. Under constant darkness HF, but not normocaloric feeding (NF), entrains circadian behaviour. Under a light–dark cycle, HF at midnight led to phase delays of the rhythms of locomotor activity and plasma corticosterone. Furthermore, Per2 and vasopressin gene oscillations in the SCN were phase delayed in HF Arvicanthis compared with animals fed ad libitum. Moreover, light-induced expression of Per genes in the SCN was modified in HF Arvicanthis, despite a non-significant effect on light-induced behavioural phase delays. Together, our data show that HF affects the circadian system of the diurnal rodent Arvicanthis ansorgei differentially from nocturnal rodents. The Arvicanthis model has relevance for the potential use of HF to manipulate circadian rhythms in diurnal species including humans.

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Low-Calorie Feeding May Reset the Daily Body Clock in Daytime Animals

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