Melatonin and clinical application.
A review of the different publications dealing with melatonin in humans shows that this field has been very active in the last few years. Normative melatonin values have been defined. Various relationships between melatonin and other traits have been studied, such as sleep, circadian rhythm, surgical stress and anaesthesia. Age-related melatonin studies and melatonin during depression and other psychiatric disorders have been reviewed. Finally, some studies have been performed to use melatonin as a medication for sleep disturbance in depression, for jet-lag and as a skin protector for ultraviolet light.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Lennart.Wetterberg@rito.no
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D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000652:urine; D017440:Photoperiod; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012449:Safety; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
D015415:Biomarkers; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; C052611:1-acetyl-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-8a-hydroxy-5-methoxypyrrolo(2,3-b)indole; D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone