Intergeniculate leaflet lesion and daily rhythms in food-restricted rats fed during daytime.

In control rats kept under light/dark cycle (LD) and fed during daytime 50% of ad lib food intake, the acrophase of temperature rhythm was 5 h phase-advanced, and plateaued close to the light/dark transition. The nocturnal pattern of locomotor activity rhythm was 6 h phase-advanced. By contrast, in food-restricted rats with electrolytic lesion of intergeniculate leaflet (IGL: IGLX group), there was only a 1 h phase-advance of the acrophase of temperature rhythm. Furthermore, except for a feeding-associated activity, the nocturnal pattern of activity of food-restricted IGLX rats remained unchanged. This demonstrates the involvement of IGL in the phase-advancing properties of a timed caloric restriction in LD.