Summary
Although several studies on the efficacy and the toxicity of exogenous melatonin in Parkinson patients have been carried out, there are no data available on melatonin secretion in these patients. We therefore performed a controlled trial in 9 Parkinson patients (aged 62.1±8.7 years, ×±SD) and in 14 control persons (58.0±10.4 years). Parkinson patients were treated with 1-dopa (300–1000 mg per day) in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor (benserazide, carbidopa). 14 venous blood samples were taken from each person during a period of 24 hours in order to investigate the circadian secretion pattern of melatonin. Serum melatonin levels were estimated by radioimmuno assay. We found that the circadian secretion patterns of 1-dopa-treated Parkinson patients and age-matched controls were very similar except for a phase advance of the nocturnal melatonin elevation in the parkinsonian group.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anton-Tay F, Diaz JL, Fernandez-Guardiola A (1971) On the effect of melatonin upon human brain. Its possible therapeutical implications. Life Sci 10: 841–850
Arendt J (1978) Melatonin assays in body fluids. J Neural Transm 13: 265–278
Arendt J, et al (1985) Some effects of melatonin and the control of its secretion in man. In: Photoperiodism, melatonin and the pineal. Pitman, London (Ciba Foundation Symposium 117, pp 266–283)
Cotzias GC, Tang LC, Miller ST, Ginos JZ (1971) Melatonin and abnormal movements induced by 1-dopa in mice. Science 173: 450–454
Dubocovich ML (1983) Melatonin is a potent modulator of dopamine release in the retina. Nature 306: 782–784
Ferrier IN, Arendt J, Johnstone EC, Crow TJ (1982) Reduced nocturnal melatonin secretion in chronic schizophrenia: relationship to body weight. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 17: 181–187
Klein DC (1985) Photoneural regulation of the mammalian pineal gland. In: Photoperiodism, melatonin and the pineal. Pitman, London (Ciba Foundation Symposium 117, pp 38–56)
Kopp N, Claustrat B, Tappaz M (1980) Evidence for the presence of melatonin in the human brain. Neurosci Lett 19: 237–242
Laudon M, Nir I, Zisapel N (1988) Melatonin receptors in discrete brain areas of the male rat. Neuroendocrinology 48: 577–583
Lewy AJ, Sack RL, Singer CM (1984) Assessment and treatment of chronobiologic disorders using plasma melatonin levels and bright light exposure: the clock-gate model and the phase response curve. Psychopharmacol Bull 20: 561–565
Lynch HJ, Wang P, Wurtman RJ (1973) Increase in rat pineal melatonin content following 1-dopa administration. Life Sci 12: 145–151
Moore DC, Paunier L, Sizonenko PC (1979) Effect of adrenergic stimulation and blockade on melatonin secretion in the human. In: Kappers JA, Pevet P (eds) The pineal gland of vertebrates including man. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 517–521
Mullen PE, Silman RE (1977) The pineal and psychiatry: a review. Psychol Med 7: 407–417
Notari RE (1980) Biopharmacokinetics and clinical pharmacokinetics. Dekker, New York
Pangerl B, Pangerl A, Reiter RJ (1990) Circadian variations of adrenergic receptors in the mammalian pineal gland: a review. J Neural Transm 81: 17–29
Papavasiliou PS, Cotzias GC, et al (1972) Melatonin and parkinsonism. JAMA 221: 88–89
Sack RL, Lewy AJ (1988) Melatonin and major affective disorders. In: Miles A, Philbrick DRS, Thompson C (eds) Melatonin, clinical perspectives. Oxford University Press, pp 205–227
Sandyk R (1990) Pineal melatonin functions: possible relevance to Parkinson's disease. Int J Neurosci 50: 37–53
Shaw KM, Stern GM, Sandler M (1973) Melatonin and parkinsonism. Lancet i: 271
Touitou Y, Bogdan A, Claustrat B, Touitou C (1988) Drugs affecting melatonin secretion in man. In: Trentini GP, DeGaetani C, Pevet P (eds) Fundamentals and clinics in pineal research, vol 44. Raven, New York, pp 349–356
Trinchard-Lugan, Waldhauser F (1989) The short-term secretion pattern of human serum melatonin indicates a pulsatile hormone release. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 69: 663–669
Vaughan GM (1989) Daytime unresponsiveness of the human and Syrian hamster pineal to adrenergic stimulation. In: Reiter RJ, Pang SF (eds) Advances in pineal research, vol 3. Libbey, London, pp 117–122
VanCauter E (1979) Method for characterization of 24-h temporal variation of blood components. Am J Physiol 237(3): E255-E264
Vitte PA, Harthe C, Lestage P, Claustrat B, Bobillier P (1988) Plasma, CSF and brain distribution of C 14-Melatonin in rat: a biochemical and autoradiographic study. J Pineal Res 5: 437–453
Waldhauser F, Weissenbacher G, Zeitlhuber U, Waldhauser M, Frisch H, Wurtman RJ (1984) Fall in nocturnal serum melatonin levels during prepuberty and pubescence. Lencet i: 362–365
Wetterberg L (1978) Melatonin in humans: physiological and clinical studies. J Neural Transm 13: 289–310
Wever RA (1979) The circadian system of man. Results of experiments under temporal isolation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fertl, E., Auff, E., Doppelbauer, A. et al. Circadian secretion pattern of melatonin in Parkinson's disease. J Neural Transm Gen Sect 3, 41–47 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02251135
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02251135