Influence of Diurnal Rhythms and Aging on Pupil Size Changes During Dark Adaptation in Mice

Abstract

During dark adaptation, pupil size changes in association with visual adaptation processes; however, the influence of diurnal phase (daytime vs nighttime) and aging on these changes remains unclear. In this study, we examined pupil size changes during dark adaptation across the daytime and nighttime in young, middle-aged, and aged C57BL/6N mice. In young mice, pupil size reached a maximum shortly after the onset of dark adaptation and then gradually decreased during the daytime, whereas it remained dilated during the nighttime. Furthermore, dopamine depletion induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) significantly attenuated the gradual pupillary constriction following pupil dilation during dark adaptation in the daytime, suggesting a possible involvement of dopaminergic signaling in the later phase of the response. In middle-aged mice, pupillary light reflex–evoked constriction was preserved; however, the early (rapid) phase of constriction following the initial dilation during daytime dark adaptation was impaired, whereas the later (delayed) phase remained largely comparable to that in young mice, suggesting age-related alterations in regulatory mechanisms rather than a loss of constriction capacity. Pharmacological analyses further suggested that distinct neural mechanisms may differentially contribute to these temporal phases. In aged mice, maximal pupil dilation during dark adaptation was significantly reduced during both the daytime and nighttime. In addition, aged mice exhibited distinct abnormalities in pupil dilation immediately after the onset of dark adaptation during the nighttime, indicating mechanisms that differ from those observed in middle-aged mice. Together, these results demonstrate that pupillary dynamics during dark adaptation are modulated by diurnal phase and progressively altered with aging. Thus, analysis of pupil dynamics during dark adaptation may provide a useful approach for detecting age-related changes in neural function.

Graphical Abstract