Abstract
Summary
The pineal lactic acid content was measured in maturing female rats kept under conditions of continuous light, continuous darkness, and alternating light and darkness (controls) from the day of weaning (at 21 days of age) for 10, 20, and 30 days.
A significant increase in the pineal lactate levels of the animals kept in continuous light was observed after 20 and 30 days when compared with those of the controls. When calculated per microgram of pineal protein, the increase in pineal lactate was already significant after 10 days' exposure to continuous light.
The high lactic acid level indicates suppression of oxidative cell processes, which appears to be a consequence of the depressed protein metabolism found to occur earlier in animals exposed to continuous light.
No change took place throughout the duration of the experiment in the pineal lactate levels of the animals exposed to continuous darkness, this finding paralleling that obtained on the metabolism of pineal RNA and protein.
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