Dijk D J, Cajochen C
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
J Biol Rhythms. 1997 Dec;12(6):627-35. doi: 10.1177/074873049701200618.
The endogenous circadian rhythm of melatonin, driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, exhibits a close association with the endogenous circadian component of the sleep propensity rhythm and the endogenous circadian component of the variation in electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillations such as sleep spindles and slow waves. This association is maintained even when the sleep-wake cycle is desynchronized from the endogenous circadian rhythm of melatonin. Administration of melatonin during the day increases daytime sleep propensity as indexed by both the latency to sleep onset and sleep consolidation. The EEG during daytime sleep after melatonin administration exhibits characteristics reminiscent of the nocturnal sleep EEG, that is, increased sleep spindle activity and reduced slow-wave sleep and slow-wave activity, as detected by quantitative EEG analysis. Administration of higher doses of melatonin (5 mg or more) prior to nocturnal sleep results in an increase in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These data demonstrate that melatonin exerts effects on the main characteristics of human sleep, that is, latency to sleep onset, sleep consolidation, slow waves, sleep spindles, and REM sleep. There is a need for further studies using physiological doses and delivery systems that generate physiological plasma melatonin profiles to firmly establish the role of the endogenous circadian rhythm of melatonin in the circadian regulation of sleep.
由视交叉上核驱动的褪黑素内源性昼夜节律，与睡眠倾向节律的内源性昼夜成分以及脑电图（EEG）振荡（如睡眠纺锤波和慢波）变化的内源性昼夜成分密切相关。即使睡眠-觉醒周期与褪黑素的内源性昼夜节律不同步，这种关联依然存在。白天服用褪黑素会增加白天的睡眠倾向，这可通过入睡潜伏期和睡眠巩固来衡量。服用褪黑素后白天睡眠期间的脑电图表现出类似于夜间睡眠脑电图的特征，即通过定量脑电图分析检测到睡眠纺锤波活动增加，慢波睡眠和慢波活动减少。夜间睡眠前服用更高剂量的褪黑素（5毫克或更多）会导致快速眼动（REM）睡眠增加。这些数据表明，褪黑素对人类睡眠的主要特征有影响，即入睡潜伏期、睡眠巩固、慢波、睡眠纺锤波和REM睡眠。需要进一步研究使用生理剂量和能产生生理血浆褪黑素水平的给药系统，以确定褪黑素内源性昼夜节律在睡眠昼夜调节中的作用。
