Fuchs E, Schumacher M
German Primate Center, Göttingen, FRG.
Physiol Behav. 1990 Apr;47(4):713-7. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(90)90083-g.
Using a recently developed commercially available radioimmunoassay the concentration of the principal melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) in the morning urine of male tree shrews was determined. Chronic social confrontation elicited a drastic increase of aMT6s excretion in subordinate tree shrews, whereas there was a tendency to reduced excretion of the melatonin metabolite in dominant animals. These results substantiate the function of the pineal gland in transforming stimuli from the social environment to endocrine information and, therefore, are indicative for the relevant role the gland may play in the physiological reactions to chronic psychosocial stress.
利用最近开发的一种市售放射免疫分析法，测定了雄性树鼩晨尿中主要褪黑素代谢物6-硫酸氧褪黑素（aMT6s）的浓度。长期的社会对抗导致从属树鼩的aMT6s排泄量急剧增加，而优势动物的褪黑素代谢物排泄量则有减少的趋势。这些结果证实了松果体在将社会环境刺激转化为内分泌信息方面的功能，因此，表明该腺体在对慢性心理社会应激的生理反应中可能发挥的相关作用。
