Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.

Rodents are assumed to be blind to red light, thus red light is often used in the dark phase of a light/dark cycle to facilitate study procedures using nocturnal rodents. However, effects of red light in dark phase on behaviors and circadian rhythms in rodents are not yet clear. Thus, we evaluated e...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xian Chen, Steven Kreuser, Dinesh Hirenallur-Shanthappa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326710
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849427707500167168
author Xian Chen
Steven Kreuser
Dinesh Hirenallur-Shanthappa
author_facet Xian Chen
Steven Kreuser
Dinesh Hirenallur-Shanthappa
author_sort Xian Chen
collection DOAJ
description Rodents are assumed to be blind to red light, thus red light is often used in the dark phase of a light/dark cycle to facilitate study procedures using nocturnal rodents. However, effects of red light in dark phase on behaviors and circadian rhythms in rodents are not yet clear. Thus, we evaluated effects of various long wavelength red light-emitting diode (LED) light on circadian rhythm and electroretinogram (ERG) in C57BL/6J mice and Wistar Han rats. Animals were implanted with telemetry devices to measure body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and locomotor activity for circadian rhythm assessment. In contrary to infra-red light, all visible long wavelength red lights, including the far-red LED light with a peak at 741 nm, induced significant alterations in circadian rhythms and dark-adapted rod photoreceptor-mediated ERG responses in mice and/or rats. However, far-red light did not elicit light-adapted cone photoreceptor-mediated ERG responses in both mice and rats. These findings demonstrate that rodents can perceive all spectrum of long wavelength red lights that are visible to humans, and exposures of red lights in dark phase interfere with their circadian rhythms. A dim far-red LED with peak wavelength in the range of 740-760 nm is recommended to use in the dark phase of a rodent room, and potential impacts are considered when using red light >2 photopic lux.
format Article
id doaj-art-b28f162a00b146c2b4cefca30945d096
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-b28f162a00b146c2b4cefca30945d0962025-08-20T03:28:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01207e032671010.1371/journal.pone.0326710Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.Xian ChenSteven KreuserDinesh Hirenallur-ShanthappaRodents are assumed to be blind to red light, thus red light is often used in the dark phase of a light/dark cycle to facilitate study procedures using nocturnal rodents. However, effects of red light in dark phase on behaviors and circadian rhythms in rodents are not yet clear. Thus, we evaluated effects of various long wavelength red light-emitting diode (LED) light on circadian rhythm and electroretinogram (ERG) in C57BL/6J mice and Wistar Han rats. Animals were implanted with telemetry devices to measure body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and locomotor activity for circadian rhythm assessment. In contrary to infra-red light, all visible long wavelength red lights, including the far-red LED light with a peak at 741 nm, induced significant alterations in circadian rhythms and dark-adapted rod photoreceptor-mediated ERG responses in mice and/or rats. However, far-red light did not elicit light-adapted cone photoreceptor-mediated ERG responses in both mice and rats. These findings demonstrate that rodents can perceive all spectrum of long wavelength red lights that are visible to humans, and exposures of red lights in dark phase interfere with their circadian rhythms. A dim far-red LED with peak wavelength in the range of 740-760 nm is recommended to use in the dark phase of a rodent room, and potential impacts are considered when using red light >2 photopic lux.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326710
spellingShingle Xian Chen
Steven Kreuser
Dinesh Hirenallur-Shanthappa
Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
PLoS ONE
title Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
title_full Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
title_fullStr Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
title_full_unstemmed Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
title_short Far-red LED light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark-adapted ERG responses in rodents.
title_sort far red led light alters circadian rhythms and elicits dark adapted erg responses in rodents
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326710
work_keys_str_mv AT xianchen farredledlightalterscircadianrhythmsandelicitsdarkadaptedergresponsesinrodents
AT stevenkreuser farredledlightalterscircadianrhythmsandelicitsdarkadaptedergresponsesinrodents
AT dineshhirenallurshanthappa farredledlightalterscircadianrhythmsandelicitsdarkadaptedergresponsesinrodents