Daily variation in the concentration of melatonin and 5-methoxytryptophol in the human pineal gland: effect of age and Alzheimer's disease.
Melatonin and 5-methoxytryptophol (ML) were measured in human pineals (38 controls, 16 subjects with Alzheimer's disease). Time of death had a major influence on the indole concentrations with significantly higher melatonin levels occurring at night (22.00-10.00 h) and significantly higher ML levels occurring during the day (10.00-22.00 h). This daily variation disappeared in both the older subjects (55-92 years) and in the Alzheimer patients (55-89 years).
Skene
D J
DJ
CNRS-URA 1332, Neurobiologie des fonctions rythmiques et saisonnières, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
Vivien-Roels
B
B
Sparks
D L
DL
Hunsaker
J C
JC
Pévet
P
P
Ravid
D
D
Swaab
D F
DF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D007211:Indoles; C002465:methoxytryptophol; D008550:Melatonin