RESUMO
1. Alzheimer's disease is associated with circadian rhythm disturbances, probably because of beta amyloid-induced neuronal damage of hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). 2. Since there is no published study on the circadian consequences of injecting beta amyloid peptide in experimental animals, one objective of the present study was to examine circadian locomotor activity in Syrian hamsters injected with beta amyloid peptide 25-35 into both SCN. 3. Because one of the proposed therapies for circadian alterations in dementia is the administration of melatonin, a chronobiotic agent with antioxidant properties, the preventive effect of melatonin on the circadian changes produced by beta amyloid microinjection into SCN was also assessed. 4. Wheel running activity was recorded by using the Dataquest III system in male golden hamsters kept under 14:10 light-dark photoperiods. Animals received microinjections of beta amyloid peptide 25-35 (100 microM solution, 1 microL) or saline in each SCN. Only those animals with neuronal lesions larger than 10% of SCN after beta amyloid injection were considered for further analysis. 5. To assess the effect of melatonin on beta-amyloid peptide activity, melatonin was given in the drinking water (25 microg/mL) starting 15 days in advance to the microinjection of beta amyloid peptide into SCN. 6. Beta amyloid-treated hamsters exhibited a significant phase advance of onset of running activity of about 22 min as compared to saline-injected animals. They also showed a significantly greater variability in onset time of wheel running activity, mainly evident from 6 to 15 days of treatment. 7. Melatonin administration in the drinking water prevented the phase advance of onset time and the increased variability of onset time brought about by beta amyloid peptide. 8. The results support the existence of a neuroprotective effect of melatonin on beta amyloid-induced circadian changes in hamsters.