Disrupting Body Clocks May Speed Up Alzheimer's Disease in Diabetic Mice

Housing db/db mice under a disrupted 6:18 light/dark cycle resulted in significant changes in circadian rhythms, cognitive ability, and weight gain.

• Disrupted diurnal circadian rhythms were observed in the hippocampus of db/db mice.
• Circadian disruption led to increased body weight in the affected mice.
• Cognitive ability decreased in db/db mice exposed to the disrupted light/dark cycle.
• Increased hyperphosphorylation of tau protein was noted in the brains of these mice, while amyloid protein plaque deposition remained unchanged.
• The hyperphosphorylated tau protein demonstrated more pronounced daily fluctuations under disrupted circadian conditions.

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