Acute exposure to artificial light at night alters hippocampal vascular structure in mice

Summary: The structure and function of the cardiovascular system are modulated across the day by circadian rhythms, making this system susceptible to circadian rhythm disruption. Recent evidence demonstrated that short-term exposure to a pervasive circadian rhythm disruptor, artificial light at night (ALAN), increased inflammation and altered angiogenic transcripts in the hippocampi of mice. Here, we examined the effects of four nights of ALAN exposure on mouse hippocampal vascular networks. To do this, we analyzed 2D and 3D images of hippocampal vasculature and hippocampal transcriptomic profiles of mice exposed to ALAN. ALAN reduced vascular density in the CA1 and CA2/3 of female mice and the dentate gyrus of male mice. Network structure and connectivity were also impaired in the CA2/3 of female mice. These results demonstrate the rapid and potent effects of ALAN on cerebrovascular networks, highlighting the importance of ALAN mitigation in the context of health and cerebrovascular disease.