The Rate of Phase Shift of Plasma Corticosterone Circadian Rhythm during Early Developmental Stages in Neonatally Blinded Rats

Abstract

The phase shift of circadian periodicity of pituitary-adrenocortical activity was studied in neonatally blinded infant rats. The phase shift of the rhythm was surprisingly rapid during the early stage of the prepubertal period, while changes in the rhythm pattern were rather small after puberty, as indicated by a slight shift of the acrophase. Low amplitude was observed in the group data of blinded rats after puberty.