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. 1979 Nov;76(11):5962–5966. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.11.5962

Persistence of circadian rhythmicity in a mammalian hypothalamic "island" containing the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

S T Inouye, H Kawamura
PMCID: PMC411773  PMID: 293695

Abstract

The experimental work described tested the prosposition that the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is an autonomous circadian pacemaker. Simultaneous recording from two extracellular electrodes indicated neural (multiple unit) activity at two sites in the brain, one of which is in or near the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the other in one of many other brain locations. Both sites in intact rats displayed clear circadian rhythmicity of spontaneous neural activity. In experimental animals, a Halasz knife was used to create an island of hypothalamic tissue that contained the suprachiasmatic nuclei. In such animals that were also blinded by bilateral ocular enucleation, circadian rhythmicity was lost at all brain locations recorded outside the island, but it persisted within the island that contained the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The rhythmicity of the island is thus not dependent on afferent inputs from elsewhere in the brain.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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