Mutual entrainment of bilaterally distributed circadian pacemaker

Abstract

The interactions between the bilaterally distributed components of the circadin system that controls the locomotor activity rhythm of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae were investigated in a series of surgical lesion experiments. Complete excision of one optic lobe (either right or left) or its surgical isolation from the central nervous system had no effect on the animals' ability to free-run in constant darkness nor was there any indication, as judged by postoperative pi values of any difference between left and right lobe pacemakers. However, these surgical procedures consistently resulted in a significant increase in tau over preoperative value while optic nerve section had no effect on tau. The propostion is developed that the left and right pacemakers in the two optic lobes are mutally coupled and that the compound pacemaker's period is shorter than either of its constituent pacemakers. It was also found that the integrity of either compound eye is sufficient to assure entrainment of both left and right pacemakers.