Unilateral 6-OHDA lesioning changes motor behaviour but not circadian rhythmicity in rats

Objective: Sleep abnormalities in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently consist in a reduction of total sleep time and efficacy and subsequent excessive daytime sleepiness. As it remains unclear whether these phenomena are part of the disease itself, or result from pharmacological treatment, animal models for investigating circadian changes in PD may add knowledge to this research area. In the present study we investigate whether changes in circadian motor activity occur in the 6-OHDA-lesioning model for Parkinson's disease. Methods: Activity measurements were carried out in one 12:12h light-dark (LD) c…