title: Melatonin attenuates the skin sympathetic nerve response to mental stress.
abstract: Melatonin attenuates muscle sympathetic nerve responses to sympathoexcitatory stimuli, but it is unknown whether melatonin similarly attenuates reflex changes in skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA). In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, we tested the hypothesis that melatonin (3 mg) would attenuate the SSNA response to mental stress (mental arithmetic). Twelve healthy subjects underwent experimental testing on two separate days. Three minutes of mental stress occurred before and 45 min after ingestion of melatonin (3 mg) or placebo. Skin temperature was maintained at 34°C. Reflex increases in SSNA (peroneal nerve), mean arterial pressure, and heart rate (HR) to mental stress before and after melatonin were determined. Melatonin lowered HR (pre, 66 ± 3 beats/min; and post, 62 ± 3 beats/min, P = 0.046) and SSNA (pre, 14,282 ± 3,706 arbitrary units; and post, 9,571 ± 2,609 arbitrary units, P = 0.034) at rest. In response to mental stress, SSNA increases were significantly attenuated following melatonin ingestion (second minute, 114 ± 30 vs. 74 ± 14%; and third minute, 111 ± 29 vs. 54 ± 12%, both P < 0.05). The mean arterial pressure increase to mental stress was blunted in the third minute (20 ± 2 vs. 17 ± 2 mmHg, P = 0.032), and the HR increase was blunted in the first minute (33 ± 3 vs. 29 ± 3 beats/min, P = 0.034) after melatonin. In summary, exogenous melatonin attenuates the SSNA response to mental stress.
authors.affiliation: Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Charity L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sauder
authors.forename: Chester A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin
keywords: autonomic nervous system; blood pressure; heart rate