title: Melatonin and mental capacities in newborn infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of melatonin in the emergence of mental capacities in the newborn infant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of Preterm Infant Behavior examination was performed at 2 weeks post-term age for 39 (21 preterm and 18 term) infants. 6-Suphatoxymelatonin from nocturnal urine samples was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and the Mental Developmental Index, assessed by Bayley scales, was correlated at 4, 6, and 9 months' corrected age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that improved autonomic function at 2 weeks of age was associated with higher Mental Developmental Index scores at 9 months when related to the amount of melatonin at 4, 6, and 9 months of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early compromised autonomic system function in preterm infants is associated with lower mental capacities and is related to lower melatonin levels at later ages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. ferbers@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Sari Goldstein
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ferber
authors.forename: Heidelise
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Als
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McAnulty
authors.forename: Hava
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peretz
authors.forename: Nava
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zisapel
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008550:Melatonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: C054513:6-sulfatoxymelatonin; D008550:Melatonin