McIntyre I M, Judd F K, Marriott P M, Burrows G D, Norman T R
Psychoendocrine Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 1989;9(2):159-64.
Melatonin is a major endocrine product of the pineal gland. It is produced at night when noradrenaline acts on beta-adrenergic receptors to stimulate enzymes which catalyse the formation of melatonin from serotonin. It is believed by some that nocturnal melatonin levels reflect beta-receptor function. The melatonin rhythm is also thought to be an indication of circadian rhythmicity. The nocturnal production of melatonin was studied in patients with depression and panic disorder and in control subjects. Midnight concentrations of melatonin in eleven depressed patients were significantly lower than 18 control subjects (27.1 +/- 5.1 pg/ml compared with 51.6 +/- 4.1 pg/ml; p less than 0.02, t-test). These data support previous reports of reduced melatonin synthesis in depressive illness. In the first report of patients with panic disorders, significantly lower midnight levels of melatonin were found compared with controls (28.4 +/- 6.4 pg/ml versus 51.6 +/- 4.1 pg/ml, p less than 0.02, t-test). In subsequent investigations this finding was confirmed, measuring melatonin levels over the initial phase of synthesis (i.e. 20h00 to 24h00). In these samples the melatonin rhythm also seemed to be delayed. These findings are discussed in terms of beta-receptor function and circadian rhythm alterations in affective disorders.
褪黑素是松果体的主要内分泌产物。它在夜间产生，此时去甲肾上腺素作用于β-肾上腺素能受体，刺激催化从血清素形成褪黑素的酶。一些人认为夜间褪黑素水平反映了β受体功能。褪黑素节律也被认为是昼夜节律性的一个指标。对抑郁症患者、惊恐障碍患者和对照组受试者的夜间褪黑素分泌情况进行了研究。11名抑郁症患者的午夜褪黑素浓度显著低于18名对照组受试者（分别为27.1±5.1皮克/毫升和51.6±4.1皮克/毫升；t检验，p<0.02）。这些数据支持了先前关于抑郁症患者褪黑素合成减少的报道。在关于惊恐障碍患者的首篇报告中，发现患者的午夜褪黑素水平显著低于对照组（分别为28.4±6.4皮克/毫升和51.6±4.1皮克/毫升，t检验，p<0.02）。在随后的研究中，这一发现得到了证实，研究测量了合成初始阶段（即20:00至24:00）的褪黑素水平。在这些样本中，褪黑素节律似乎也出现了延迟。从情感障碍中的β受体功能和昼夜节律改变方面对这些发现进行了讨论。
