Loss of the body’s internal clock in mice changes breathing patterns depending on time of day and sex

Male mice lacking the core clock gene BMAL1 show time-of-day-specific differences in respiratory cycle timing.

• Breath waveform analysis indicates significant variations in inspiratory and expiratory times in male BMAL1 knockout mice.
• Total cycle length, end inspiratory pause, relaxation time, and respiratory rate also differ in male BMAL1 knockout mice compared to wild-type males.
• No changes in respiratory patterns were observed in female BMAL1 knockout mice when compared to wild-type females.
• Overall minute ventilation and peak airflow remain unaffected in both sexes, suggesting total ventilatory function during quiet wakefulness is preserved.
• These findings reveal that genetic disruption of the circadian clock affects respiratory cycle timing in a sex-specific manner.

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