Retraction notice to "Diurnal rhythm disruptions induced by chronic unpredictable stress relate to depression-like behaviors in rats" [Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 194 (2020) 172939].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor because of serious doubts regarding the data on melatonin levels. The authors used a melatonin ELISA kit that was not fit for purpose, resulting in data showing peak secretion of this hormone occurring in the middle of the light period, which does not make any physiological sense since melatonin is only produced during darkness.

Diurnal rhythm disruptions induced by chronic unpredictable stress relate to depression-like behaviors in rats.

The relationship between circadian rhythms and mood disorders has been established. Circadian dysregulations are believed to exacerbate the severity of mood disorders and vice versa. Although many studies on diurnal changes of clock genes in animal model of depression have been performed from the RNA level, only a few studies have been carried out from the protein level. In this study, we investigated the diurnal changes induced by chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) using free-running wheel test and Western Blotting (WB). Besides, we examined the depression-like behaviors of rats by sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swim test (FST). We found that CUS induced significant reductions in the quantity of free-running wheel activity and rhythmic disruptions of clock proteins in hippocampus. Furthermore, we found that the amplitude of PER1 in CA1 was positively related to the severity of depression-like behaviors. These results suggest that CUS results in both changes in diurnal rhythms and in depression-like behaviors and that it is suggested that these changes are related.

Diurnal rhythm disruptions induced by chronic unpredictable stress relate to depression-like behaviors in rats.

The relationship between circadian rhythms and mood disorders has been established, circadian dysregulations are believed to exacerbate the severity of mood disorders and vice versa. Although many studies on diurnal changes of clock genes in animal model of depression have been performed from the RNA level, only a few studies have been carried out from the protein level. In this study, we investigated the diurnal changes induced by chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) using various methods, including free-running wheel test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western Blotting (WB). Besides, we examined the depression-like behaviors of rats by sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swim test (FST). We found that CUS induced significant reductions in the quantity of free-running wheel activity and the amplitude of melatonin secretion rhythm. We also found that CUS induced rhythmic disruptions of clock proteins in hippocampus. Furthermore, we found that the amplitude of PER1 in CA1 was positively related to the severity of depression-like behaviors. These results suggest that stress results in both changes in circadian rhythms and in depression-like behaviors and that it is suggested that these changes are related.