Gender features and estrous cycle variations of nocturnal behavior of mice after a single exposure to light at night

Light at night alters behavior and cognitive performances in rodents, the variations of which in gender and stages of reproductive cycle in females are elusive. Young mice habituated in light:dark (12:12 h) cycle were given a single exposure of light (100 lx) at early night for one hour duration followed by experimentations in open field (closed wall with circular big arena), elevated plus maze and square habituated field for memory performance using novel object recognition task. Light effects were compared with results found during without light conditions. Proestrous females appeared to have greater locomotor activity, less anxiety and better memory performance compared to the diestrous females at night without light exposure. The status of locomotor activity, anxiety and memory performance of male mice at night without light exposure appeared to be comparable to females where the stage of estrous cycle is important to characterize the nocturnal behavior of male mice. Light maximally affected proestrous females with decrease in locomotor activity, increase in anxiety and failure of memory performance. Male and diestrous female mice performed memory performance without alteration of locomotor activity and anxiety after exposure to light where males performed better memory performance with greater locomotor activity and more anxiety compared to that of diestrous females. The present study characterizes the mice nocturnal behavior with and without a single exposure to light stimuli with its gender features and estrous cycle variation. In addition, the study indicates an association of memory performance with locomotor activity and anxiety in mice nocturnal behavior.