Acute light deprivation triggers anxiety-like and depressive behaviors in mice

Abstract

Light exposure plays a critical role in regulating circadian rhythms and mood-related behaviors. While chronic, constant light deprivation has been extensively studied pertaining to anxiety and depression, the impact of acute deprivation of light exposure remains poorly understood. This study investigated the acute light deprivation-induced effects on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors of male C57BL/6 mice. Six behavioral tests were employed to comprehensively assess anxiety-like and depressive-like levels, including the open field test (OFT), elevated zero maze (EZM), light-dark box test (LDT), sucrose splash test (SST), forced swim test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST). The results indicated that there was no significant difference in anxiety-related measures between the control and light-deprived mice. In contrast, depressive-like behaviors were significantly elevated in the light-deprived mice, as evidenced by reduced self-grooming behavior in the SST and increased immobility in stress-inducing environments in the FST and TST. These findings suggest that even short-term and moderate light deprivation can induce depressive phenotypes, emphasizing the sensitivity of mood regulation to environmental changes, especially light exposure, and highlighting the potential mental health risks faced by urban populations with restricted access to natural light. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.