The correlation between human plasma melatonin levels and urinary 6-hydroxymelatonin excretion

Markey, Sanford P.; Higa, Sadayoshi; Shih, Ming-Lang; Danforth, David N.; Tamarkin, Lawrence

doi:10.1016/0009-8981(85)90247-5

Cited by 72 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The correlation between night-time concentrations of melatonin in plasma and urinary aMT6s excretion indicate that a night-time urine sample is a good index of the endogenous production of melatonin in plasma, as previously described in literature [Markey et al, 1985;Bojklowski et al, 1987;Graham et al, 1998]. As melatonin has been reported to be secreted in discrete brief episodes superimposed on the baseline concentration in humans [Weitzman et al, 1978;Wetterberg, 1978;Vaughan et al, 1979], urinary samples also appear to be more informative than hourly blood values because they integrate the total production of melatonin [Wetterberg, 1978;Cook et al, 1997].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Daytime 50 Hz magnetic field exposure and plasma melatonin and urinary 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin concentration profiles in humans

Crasson

Beckers

Péqueux

et al. 2001

Journal of Pineal Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Concern about the health effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) has been raised by epidemiological studies indicating an association between certain cancers and living near power lines or working in high electric field environments. Alterations in pineal function have been proposed as a mechanism through which power‐frequency MFs may interact with living organisms. A double blind laboratory study was performed to evaluate daytime exposure effects of 100 μT root mean square (rms) 50 Hz MF. Three head exposure sessions of 30 min each were performed: sham, continuous, and intermittent (15 s on/off cycles) MFs were presented to each subject in early or late afternoon (13:30 or 16:30 hr). Twenty‐one healthy male volunteers (20–27 yr old) participated in these 3‐weekly experimental conditions. Blood samples were drawn for serum melatonin measurement, hourly at night (from 20:00 to 07:00 hr) under controlled environmental conditions. Urinary excretion of 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), the main melatonin metabolite, was measured for a 17 hr period, by means of urine samples taken at 19:00 hr (14:00–19:00 hr “afternoon period”), 23:00 hr (19:00–23:00 hr “evening period”), and 07:00 hr, day 2 (23:00–07:00 hr day 2 “night‐time period”). There were no significant differences in either plasma melatonin or in aMT6s excretion profiles in the three experimental conditions. However, a tendency for a smaller increase of night‐time urinary aMT6s after continuous MF exposure was found (P=0.08) particularly in men with the lower excretion rate of aMT6s (“Low Group”) (P=0.07). We conclude that this study does not indicate that daytime acute MF exposure influences either melatonin secretion or aMT6s excretion. Inter‐individual differences in pineal production of melatonin, however, have to be taken into account in further studies.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Daytime 50 Hz magnetic field exposure and plasma melatonin and urinary 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin concentration profiles in humans

Crasson

Beckers

Péqueux

et al. 2001

Journal of Pineal Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…There is extensive evidence that urinary aMT6s faithfully reflects the timing of both the plasma aMT6s and melatonin rhythm in entrained and phase-shifted conditions (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). Although the resolution of such rhythm assessments could be improved by sampling plasma at frequent intervals, this method, however, is impractical for long term field studies.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Its rhythm is highly reproducible in an individual, and unlike other circadian rhythms such as core body temperature or cortisol, it is minimally masked by sleep, activity, or stress (1-4). The major metabolite of melatonin is 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), and its pattern of production in both plasma and urine faithfully reflects that of melatonin in both normal (5)(6)(7)(8)(9) and phase-shifted conditions (10,11). Abnormally timed melatonin production, as an indicator of circadian rhythm disorder, has been demonstrated in shift work (12,13) and jet lag (14 -16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between Melatonin Rhythms and Visual Loss in the Blind

Lockley¹

1997

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

173

212

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Melatonin rhythms were assessed in 49 registered blind individuals by measurement of the urinary metabolite of melatonin, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s). Subjects had different causes of visual loss and were classified as having light perception or better (LP; n ϭ 19) or having no perception of light (NPL; n ϭ 30). Subjects collected four-hourly urine samples (eight-hourly overnight) for 48 h at weekly intervals for 3-5 weeks. The majority of LP subjects (14 of 19) had normally entrained aMT6s rhythms (mean acrophase range, 2.4 -6.2 h), 4 were abnormally entrained to 24 h (mean acrophase range, 8.9 -1.0 h), and 1 was unclassified. Conversely, most NPL subjects had abnormal rhythms (23 of 30), the incidence of which was greater in uni-and bilaterally enucleated subjects. The majority of NPL subjects (17 of 30) had free-running aMT6s rhythms (period range, 24.13-24.79 h), 5 were abnormally entrained to 24 h (acrophase range, 7.2-20.6 h), and 1 was unclassified. Output (micrograms of aMT6s per 24 h) and amplitude (micrograms per h) of aMT6s production did not vary between LP and NPL subjects (mean 24-h output Ϯ SD, 12.7 Ϯ 7.5 and 9.4 Ϯ 6.4 g aMT6s/24 h, respectively; mean amplitude Ϯ SD, 0.6 Ϯ 0.4 and 0.5 Ϯ 0.3 g/h, respectively). These results indicate that a higher proportion of NPL subjects have abnormal melatonin rhythms compared to those with

show abstract

“…Alternatively, urinary excretion of the principal metabolite of melatonin can provide a more practical approach for determining net pineal gland activity in psychiatric populations. Melatonin is metabolized in the liver, and approximately 85% is excreted as the sulfated (6-sulfatoxymelatonin) and glucuronidated conjugates of 6-hydroxymelatonin Markey et al 1985). There is a robust correlation between nocturnal plasma melatonin concentrations and urinary excretion of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-s-melatonin) , and intra-individual excretion rates of urinary melatonin metabolites are consistent over time (Bojkowski et al 1987).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Noradrenergic Function and Clinical Outcome in Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy

Miller

Ekstrom

Mason

et al. 2001

Neuropsychopharmacology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Controversy remains regarding the role of noradrenergic systems in determining clinical response to antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Pineal gland production of melatonin can serve as a physiologic index of noradrenergic function. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of antidepressant treatment on 24-hour urinary excretion of the principle metabolite of melatonin, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in treatment responders and nonresponders. Twenty-four outpatients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for MajorThe introduction of effective antidepressant pharmacotherapies in the 1950s revolutionized the treatment of mood disorders. However, despite several decades of research, the mechanisms of action of antidepressants remain unclear. Elucidation of these mechanisms is of considerable clinical, as well as scientific, importance. Although the majority of patients respond to treatment, a substantial minority do not, and insights regarding the necessary psychobiologic components of treatment response could help predict, and perhaps prevent, some cases of treatment failure.Early observations focused attention on the role of norepinephrine (NE) in determining antidepressant response. All of the original antidepressants, including the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), enhance noradrenergic neurotransmission, either directly or via active metabolites. Based on these observations, early theories of antidepressant action proposed that clinical response is related to increased noradrenergic activity in the brain (Schildkraut 1969). Later studies found that most antidepressants, including those with minimal direct biochemical effects on NE, can influence noradrenergic systems. For example, lithium, electroconvulsive therapy, the dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion, and the serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor zimelidine all decrease "whole-body norepinephrine turnover"; that 24 , NO . 6 is, the 24-hour excretion of NE and its major metabolites (Linnoila et al. 1983;Rudorfer et al. 1984;. Central NE turnover, as measured by cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of the NE metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG), is also reduced by a variety of antidepressants, including the 5-HT specific reuptake inhibitor zimelidine (Potter et al. 1985). Based on these observations, it seems that increased noradrenergic function is an integral component of antidepressant treatments.On the other hand, a wide variety of antidepressants, including tricyclic NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and repeated electroconvulsive shock, down-regulate the density of ␤ -adrenergic receptor ( ␤ AR) ligand-binding sites in limbic brain regions, including the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus (Vetulani and Sulser 1975;Banerjee et al. 1977;Sugrue 1983). Furthermore, nearly all antidepressants diminish the ability of ␤ ARs to stimulate adenylate cyclase-mediated cAMP production in these regions (Vetulani and Sulser 1975;Charney et al. 1981), and the time course for these receptor changes ...

show abstract

The correlation between human plasma melatonin levels and urinary 6-hydroxymelatonin excretion

Cited by 72 publications

References 12 publications

Daytime 50 Hz magnetic field exposure and plasma melatonin and urinary 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin concentration profiles in humans

Daytime 50 Hz magnetic field exposure and plasma melatonin and urinary 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin concentration profiles in humans

Relationship between Melatonin Rhythms and Visual Loss in the Blind

Noradrenergic Function and Clinical Outcome in Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About