title: Melatonin phase advances circadian rhythm.
abstract: We studied the effect of acute (1 day) and subacute (7 days) treatment with melatonin (0.5 mg) on the endogenous rhythms of melatonin secretion in 12 healthy male volunteers, using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. Melatonin given at 1700 h for 7 days significantly advanced the onset of endogenous melatonin secretion, while a single dose was without effect. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that melatonin plays a role in the organisation of circadian rhythms in humans and suggest that appropriately timed melatonin administration may provide a means of altering the timing of circadian cycles.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Psychiatry, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Attenburrow
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sharpley
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cowen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin