Vitamin B12 accelerates re-entrainment of activity rhythms in rats

Life Sci. 1992;50(24):1843-50. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(92)90544-y.

Abstract

The effects of methyl vitamin B12 (5-6 mg/kg, p.o.) on the entrainment of circadian running wheel activity rhythm to a new lighting schedule were measured in rats. After the light-dark (LD) cycle was abruptly reversed, rats given vitamin B12 took less time to entrain their circadian locomotor activity rhythm to the new cycle than did controls. This result indicates that vitamin B12 accelerates the reentrainment of the mammalian circadian activity rhythm following an abrupt change in the environmental LD cycle.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Circadian Rhythm / drug effects*
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology
  • Cues
  • Darkness
  • Learning / drug effects*
  • Learning / physiology
  • Light
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / drug effects*
  • Motor Activity / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Vitamin B 12 / blood
  • Vitamin B 12 / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Vitamin B 12