Circadian locomotor activity of Musca flies: Recording method and effects of 10 Hz square-wave electric fields
✍ Scribed by Wolfgang Engelmann; Winfried Hellrung; Anders Johnsson
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 1009 KB
- Volume
- 17
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0197-8462
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Musca domestica flies that were exposed to a uniform vertical 10 Hz electric square-wave field of 1 kVm(-1) changed the period length of their circadian locomotor activity rhythm. Under constant conditions, the clock of short-period flies was slowed down by the field, whereas the clock of long-period flies either was affected only scarcely (experiments at about 19 degrees C) or ran faster (experiments at 25 degrees C). If the field was applied for only 12 h daily, then 30-40 percent of the flies were synchronized. Thus, the field could function as a weak "Zeitgeber" (synchronizer). If the field was increased to 10 kVm(-1), then 50-70 percent of the flies were synchronized. Flies avoided becoming active around the onset of the 12 h period of exposure to a 10 Hz field. The results of these experiments are discussed with respect to similar experiments by Wever on the effects of exposure to a 10 Hz field on the circadian system of man.