Table 2.
Cosinor Parameters for the Core (A) and Peripheral (B) Temperatures of the Control Groups and After a 3-Day Treatment With 0.25 and 2.5 mg of Melatonin/kg of Body Weight (b.w.) 1 Hour Before Lights Off (7 PM) in Young and Old Ringdoves, Respectively, or 300 mg of Tryptophan/kg of b.w. 1 Hour After Lights on (9 AM) in Old Ringdoves
| Young Animals | Old Animals | |||||
| Control | Melatonin Treated | Control | Melatonin Treated | Control | Tryptophan Treated | |
| A. Core temperature | ||||||
| MESOR (°C) | 41.4 ± 0.2 | 40.6 ± 0.2* | 41.1 ± 0.1 | 40.7 ± 0.2* | 41.3 ± 0.1 | 40.9 ± 0.2* |
| Amplitude (°C) | 0.7 ± 0.3 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.2† | 0.5 ± 0.1* | 0.2 ± 0.1† | 0.6 ± 0.2* |
| Acrophase (h) | 17.5 ± 1.4 | 18.0 ± 2.6 | 17.5 ± 4.3 | 15.9 ± 2.7 | 19.4 ± 2.5 | 16.5 ± 3.0 |
| B. Peripheral temperature | ||||||
| MESOR (°C) | 32.2 ± 0.2 | 32.8 ± 0.3* | 32.8 ± 0.4 | 33.7 ± 0.4* | 32.9 ± 0.4 | 34.9 ± 0.4* |
| Amplitude (°C) | 1.1 ± 0.6 | 0.7 ± 0.4 | 1.4 ± 0.7 | 1.5 ± 0.8 | 1.2 ± 0.7 | 1.0 ± 0.8 |
| Acrophase (h) | 18.2 ± 2.3 | 21.1 ± 2.6 | 19.1 ± 2.0 | 21.2 ± 2.0 | 19.2 ± 2.5 | 17.9 ± 3.3 |
Notes: Each value represents the mean ± SD of 10 determinations. MESOR = Midline-Estimating Statistic of Rhythm.
*
p < .01 with respect to the values obtained in the controls.
†
p < .005 with respect to their respective values in the young animals. The acrophase reference time is lights off (8 PM).