Dim light at night disrupts the short-day response in Siberian hamsters

Dim light at night (5 lux) disrupts physiological and behavioral responses in male Siberian hamsters exposed to short-day conditions.

• Short-day conditions typically lead to reduced gonadal and body mass, decreased sperm production, and changes in pelage properties in Siberian hamsters.
• Exposure to dim light at night blunted these typical short-day responses, indicating a disruption in the expected physiological changes.
• Nocturnal activity patterns were altered in hamsters under dim light conditions, suggesting impacts on the circadian clock.
• Expression levels of genes involved in photoperiodic responses were found to be higher in dim light-exposed animals compared to those in standard short-day conditions.
• These findings indicate that artificial light at night may interfere with both circadian clock function and the molecular mechanisms regulating seasonal adaptations.

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