[Melatonin. Physiology and clinical applications].

Jan 26, 2008Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Melatonin: How it works and its medical uses

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗

Abstract

Melatonin is associated with sleep regulation and may improve sleep disturbances in elderly insomniacs and Alzheimer's disease patients.

Melatonin is released from the pineal gland in response to the light-dark cycle.
A rise in melatonin secretion coincides with the onset of nighttime sleep.
Melatonin is known for its antioxidant and protective properties.
A decrease in melatonin production is commonly observed with aging.
Diminished nocturnal melatonin levels are linked to severe sleep/wake disturbances in Alzheimer's disease.
Clinical trials indicate that exogenous melatonin can enhance sleep, particularly when endogenous melatonin production is low.

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The neurohormone melatonin is released from the pineal gland in close association with the light-dark cycle. There is a temporal relationship between the nocturnal rise in melatonin secretion and the "opening of the sleep gate" at night. This association, as well as the sleep promoting effect of exogenous melatonin, implicates the pineal product in the physiological regulation of sleep. Melatonin also has remarkable antioxidant, cytoprotective and antiapoptotic properties. A decreased production of melatonin with age is documented in a majority of studies. Diminished nocturnal melatonin secretion with severe disturbances in sleep/wake rhythm has been consistently reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In clinical trials involving elderly insomniacs and AD patients suffering from sleep disturbances exogenous melatonin has repeatedly been found to be effective in improving sleep. The results indicate that exogenous melatonin is more effective to promote sleep in the presence of a diminished production of endogenous melatonin. There is also evidence that melatonin is very useful to ameliorate the altered sleep / wake cycle found in a number of neurological pediatric disorders. A MT1/MT2 receptor analog of melatonin (ramelteon) has recently been introduced as a new type of hypnotics with no evidence of abuse or dependence.

[Melatonin. Physiology and clinical applications].

Abstract

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