Telomere length, hibernation, and cognitive function in young edible dormice (Glis glis)

Abstract Telomeres protect chromosomes from damage and shortening during cell division and are suggested to relate to aging and cognitive performance. Hibernating species, such as the edible dormouse ( Glis glis ), exhibit remarkable telomere plasticity. It has been shown that the frequency of interbout euthermia (IBE) and the depth of torpor accelerate telomere shortening during hibernation. However, the consequence for telomeres when animals are prevented from hibernating has never been studied. In addition, we investigated whether hibernation duration or relative telomere length (RTL) affects the performance in a spatial orientation task already early in life. We studied 51 dormice from 2021 to 2024 (maximum age 3 years) and RTL in buccal mucosa cells before and after hibernation, as well as spatial cognition using a vertical maze. We observed that preventing animals from hibernating did not affect RTL. Initial telomere length (ITL) was the only consistent predictor of RTL. Further, spatial orientation was not affected by RTL. These results suggest that early life telomere dynamics in dormice are largely driven by intrinsic factors such as individual quality, rather than by hibernation performance. Our results underline the high potential for repair mechanisms in this long-lived species (up to 14 years).