melatonin, hormone secreted by the pineal gland, a tiny endocrine gland situated at the center of the brain. Melatonin was first isolated in 1958 by American physician Aaron B. Lerner and his colleagues at Yale University School of Medicine. They gave the substance its name on the basis of its ability to lighten skin color in frogs by reversing the skin-darkening effects of melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Melatonin, a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan, is produced in humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
In humans, melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of sleep cycles (i.e., circadian rhythm). Its production is influenced by the detection of light and dark by the retina of the eye. For example, the production of melatonin is inhibited when the retina detects light and is stimulated in the absence of light. Special photoreceptor cells in the retina send signals about light status to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus of the brain. These signals are then transmitted to the pineal gland. Melatonin generation by the pineal gland, which peaks during the nighttime hours, induces physiological changes that promote sleep, such as decreased body temperature and respiration rate. During the day, melatonin levels are low because large amounts of light are detected by the retina. Light inhibition of melatonin production is central to stimulating wakefulness in the morning and to maintaining alertness throughout the day.
Melatonin receptors are found in the SCN and the pituitary gland of the brain, as well as in the ovaries, blood vessels, and intestinal tract. There is a high concentration of receptors in the SCN because this is where melatonin mediates the majority of its affects on circadian rhythm. The binding of melatonin to its receptors on the pituitary gland and the ovaries appears to play a role in regulating the release of reproductive hormones in females. For example, the timing, length, and frequency of menstrual cycles in women are influenced by melatonin. In addition, in certain mammals (other than humans), such as horses and sheep, melatonin acts as a breeding and mating cue, since it is produced in greater amounts in response to the longer nights of winter and less so during summer. Animals who time their mating or breeding to coincide with favorable seasons (such as spring) may depend on melatonin production as a kind of biological clock that regulates their reproductive cycles on the basis of the length of the solar day.
Melatonin also acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing harmful oxidative radicals, and it is capable of activating certain antioxidant enzymes. It also plays a role in modulating certain functions of the immune system. Melatonin production gradually declines with age, and its loss is associated with several age-related diseases. Thus, melatonin is of particular interest as an antiaging treatment.
Synthetic melatonin is available in pill form and can be used to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders, to adjust sleep schedules following jet lag or other major disruptions, and to help persons affected by blindness establish night and day cycles. Melatonin supplements may also help lower blood pressure and aid in withdrawal from benzodiazepines.