Behavioral despair is differentially affected by the length and timing of photic stimulation in the dark phase of an L/D cycle

The effect of varying the length and timing of photic stimulation in the dark phase of an L/D lighting cycle on behavioral despair was investigated in female Wistar rats. Animals were kept in a vivarium on an L/D 12 h:12 h light cycle (lights on at 0700 h) except for a single day of light exposure in an insulated chamber in the dark phase of the L/D schedule. Light pulses provided by an incandescent lamp (15- and 25-W, for Exps. 1 and 2, respectively) either 2-h (Exp. 1) or 30-min in length (Exp. 2) were administered to independent groups of rats (n = 8 each) either in the early, middle or late hours of the dark phase of the L/D cycle in the insulated chamber. Light pulses were delivered beginning 2 1/2, 5 1/2 or 7 1/2 h (Exp. 1) or 3 1/4, 6 1/4 and 8 1/4 h (Exp. 2) after dark onset. Control animals were treated similarly except for photic stimulation. In each experiment, an additional group received a light pulse of the appropriate length both in the early and late portion of the dark phase (double double-pulse groups): beginning 2 1/2 and 7 1/2 h (Exp. 1) or 3 1/4 and 8 1/4 h (Exp. 2) after dark onset. All animals then underwent two forced swim tests separated by 24 h with the first test occurring in the light (starting at 1500 h) following the dark phase when photic stimulation was administered. Total duration of immobility in the second swim test was measured to gauge behavioral despair. In Exp. 1, the 2-h double double-pulse group showed significantly shorter immobility compared to controls (p < 0.05). In Exp. 2, 30-min light pulse delivered late in the dark phase reduced immobility significantly compared to controls and all the other light-treated groups (p < 0.01). Results indicate that photic stimulation may have antidepressant effect on behavioral despair depending on the timing and the duration of photic stimulation.