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Comment
. 2021 Nov 30:10:e74704.
doi: 10.7554/eLife.74704.

How neurons adjust to diurnality

Gabriele Andreatta  1 , Charles N Allen  2
Affiliations
Comment

How neurons adjust to diurnality

Gabriele Andreatta et al. Elife. .

Abstract

Being active during the day requires a slow-closing ion channel that dampens the activity of neurons in a specific area of the brain.

Keywords: R. pumilio; circadian rhythms; computational biology; diurnality; electrical activity; mathematical modelling; neuroscience; suprachiasmatic nucleus; systems biology.

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Conflict of interest statement

GA, CA No competing interests declared

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Neurons with unique properties regulate suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) excitability to accommodate a diurnal lifestyle.
In both diurnal (left) and nocturnal (right) mammals, SCN activity (orange halos around neurons) is higher during the day (top, larger halos) than at night (bottom, smaller halos). In the R. pumilio SCN (left side) – but not in the mouse SCN (right side) – one out of three neurons (in magenta) shows a prolonged resting phase after inhibitory stimuli. This resting phase delays action potential firing, the frequency of which is shown in a simplified scheme on the upper left corner of each panel. This ‘brake’ to SCN excitability operates irrespective of the time of day, leading to reduced activity in the SCN of R. pumilio overall (left panels, smaller halos) while maintaining distinct excitation patterns between day and night. This activity pattern is likely an adaptation for diurnality.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

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