Influence of lithium salts on chick pineal gland melatonin secretion.
Pineal melatonin secretion exhibits a rhythm which is identified as a circadian cycle with a period of between 20 and 28 h in most animals. The melatonin rhythm has an acrophase of about -30 degrees. The aim of this study was determine the effect of lithium on the melatonin rhythm since lithium is usually used as a therapeutic agent in manic-depressive disease. Lithium induced a delay of the melatonin acrophase which reached a value of about -45 degrees; lithium also produced another peak which had an acrophase at about +60 degrees. We speculate that lithium influences either inositol phosphate turnover or it merely changes the profile of the melatonin rhythm.
Dept. Bioquímica, Biologia Molecular y Fisiología, Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Ciencias, Spain.
M I
MI
Pablos
M J
MJ
Santaolaya
M T
MT
Agapito
J M
JM
Recio
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D008094:Lithium; D008550:Melatonin