Kearney Stephanie, O'Donoghue Lisa, Pourshahidi L Kirsty, Cobice Diego, Saunders Kathryn J
Optometry and Vision Science Research Group, University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK.
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK.
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2017 Sep;37(5):557-567. doi: 10.1111/opo.12396. Epub 2017 Jul 18.
Experimental animal models of myopia demonstrate that higher melatonin (Mel) and lower dopamine (DA) concentrations actively promote axial elongation. This study explored the association between myopia and serum concentrations of DA and Mel in humans.
Morning serum concentrations of DA and Mel were measured by solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry from 54 participants (age 19.1 ± 0.81 years) in September/October 2014 (phase 1) and March/April 2016 (phase 2). Axial length (AL), corneal radii (CR) and spherical equivalent refraction (SER) were also recorded. Participants were defined as myopic if non-cycloplegic spherical equivalent refractive error ≤-0.50 DS at phase 1.
Nine participants were lost to follow up. Mel concentrations were measurable for all myopes (phase 1 n = 25, phase 2 n = 22) and non-myopes (phase 1 n = 29, phase 2 n = 23). SER did not change significantly between phases (p = 0.51). DA concentrations were measurable for fewer myopes (phase 1 n = 13, phase 2 n = 12) and non-myopes (phase 1 n = 23, phase 2 n = 16). Myopes exhibited significantly higher Mel concentrations than non-myopes at phase 1 (Median difference: 10 pg mL , p < 0.001) and at phase 2 (Median difference: 7.3 pg mL , p < 0.001) and lower DA concentrations at phase 2 (Median difference: 4.7 pg mL , p = 0.006). Mel concentrations were positively associated with more negative SER (all r ≥ -0.53, all p < 0.001), longer AL (all r ≥ 0.37, all p ≤ 0.008) and higher AL/CR ratio (all r ≥ 0.51, all p < 0.001).
This study reports for the first time in humans that myopes exhibit higher serum Mel concentrations than non-myopes. This may indicate a role for light exposure and circadian rhythm in the human myopic growth mechanism. Further research should focus on younger cohorts exhibiting more dynamic myopic progression and explore the profile of these neurochemicals alongside evaluation of sleep patterns in myopic and non-myopic groups.
近视的实验动物模型表明，较高的褪黑素（Mel）浓度和较低的多巴胺（DA）浓度会积极促进眼轴伸长。本研究探讨了人类近视与血清中DA和Mel浓度之间的关联。
2014年9月/10月（第1阶段）和2016年3月/4月（第2阶段），通过固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱法测量了54名参与者（年龄19.1±0.81岁）早晨血清中DA和Mel的浓度。还记录了眼轴长度（AL）、角膜半径（CR）和等效球镜度（SER）。如果在第1阶段非散瞳等效球镜屈光不正≤-0.50 DS，则将参与者定义为近视。
9名参与者失访。所有近视者（第1阶段n = 25，第2阶段n = 22）和非近视者（第1阶段n = 29，第2阶段n = 23）的Mel浓度均可测量。两阶段之间SER无显著变化（p = 0.51）。可测量DA浓度的近视者（第1阶段n = 13，第2阶段n = 12）和非近视者（第1阶段n = 23，第2阶段n = 16）较少。在第1阶段（中位数差异：10 pg/mL，p < 0.001）和第2阶段（中位数差异：7.3 pg/mL，p < 0.
