Hibernation: when good clocks go cold

Abstract

Hibernating animals have been a successful model system for elucidating fundamental properties of many physiological systems. Over the past 50 years, a diverse literature has emerged on the role of the circadian system in control and expression of winter torpor in several orders of birds and mammals. This body of research has also provided insights to circadian function in non-hibernating species. The aim of this review is to examine how this work applies to questions of general interest to chronobiologists, such as temperature compensation, the 2-oscillator model of entrainment, and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) function. Convergent lines of evidence suggest a role for the SCN in timing daily torpor and controlling several parameters of hibernation. In addition to its role as a circadian pacemaker, the SCN may serve a noncircadian function in hibernators related to maintenance of energy balance.