Bruce J, Tamarkin L, Riedel C, Markey S, Oldfield E
Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991 Apr;72(4):819-23. doi: 10.1210/jcem-72-4-819.
Simultaneous measurements of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) melatonin and urinary excretion of 6-hydroxymelatonin were performed in four normal volunteers and one patient before and after upper thoracic sympathectomy for the control of essential hyperhidrosis. For normal individuals, hourly 24-h melatonin concentrations in plasma and CSF exhibited similar profiles, with low levels during the day and high levels at night. Peak plasma levels varied from 122-660 pmol/L, and the peak CSF levels from 94-355 pmol/L. The onset of the nocturnal increase in melatonin did not occur at the same time for each individual. Urinary 6-hydroxymelatonin levels also exhibited a daily rhythm, with peak excretion at night. The individual with the lowest nocturnal levels of circulating melatonin also had the lowest excretion of 6-hydroxymelatonin. In the patient with hyperhidrosis, a prominent melatonin rhythm was observed preoperatively in the CSF and plasma. After bilateral T1-T2 ganglionectomy, however, melatonin levels were markedly reduced, and the diurnal rhythm was abolished. These results provide direct evidence in humans for a diurnal melatonin rhythm in CSF and plasma as well as regulation of this rhythm by sympathetic innervation.
对4名正常志愿者和1名患者在进行上胸交感神经切除术以控制原发性多汗症前后，同时测量了血浆和脑脊液（CSF）中的褪黑素以及6-羟基褪黑素的尿排泄量。对于正常个体，血浆和脑脊液中每小时的24小时褪黑素浓度呈现相似的曲线，白天水平低，夜间水平高。血浆峰值水平在122 - 660 pmol/L之间，脑脊液峰值水平在94 - 355 pmol/L之间。每个个体夜间褪黑素增加的起始时间并不相同。尿中6-羟基褪黑素水平也呈现日节律，夜间排泄量最高。循环褪黑素夜间水平最低的个体，其6-羟基褪黑素的排泄量也最低。在多汗症患者中，术前在脑脊液和血浆中观察到明显的褪黑素节律。然而，双侧T1 - T2神经节切除术后，褪黑素水平显著降低，昼夜节律消失。这些结果为人类脑脊液和血浆中褪黑素的昼夜节律以及交感神经支配对该节律的调节提供了直接证据。
