ABSTRACT
Nocturnal serum melatonin was measured at half-hour intervals from 6:30 P.M. to 7 A.M. in two sisters, one severely obese 15-year-old and one somewhat overweight 12-year-old. Both, otherwise, were physically and psychiatrically healthy. In the severely obese sister, there was a significant increase in the serum melatonin mean level, a delayed phase-shift, and a delayed peak. Also, her overnight urine melatonin and its metabolite, 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate, were significantly higher. Could there be a relationship between dysregulation of the pineal gland and severe obesity?
Subject(s)
Melatonin/blood , Obesity, Morbid/blood , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Melatonin/urine , Obesity, Morbid/urineABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In major depression, biological rhythm disturbances in sleep, appetite, and mood suggest dysregulation in neuroendocrine functions, possibly in the pineal gland. In this study, pineal gland function was examined by measuring nocturnal serum melatonin levels during both wakefulness and sleep in depressed children and adolescents. METHODS: Twenty-two youths aged 8 to 17 years primarily with major depression were compared with 19 controls. Blood samples were drawn every half hour from 6 PM to 7 AM. Nocturnal serum melatonin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The overall nocturnal serum melatonin profile from 6 PM to 7 AM was significantly higher (mean +/- SD, 0.18 +/- 0.14 nmol/L) in the depressed group than in the controls [mean +/- SD, 0.15 +/- 0.10 nmol/L, F(1,26) = 4.37, P < .05]. In dim light, when the subjects were awake, no difference existed between the 2 groups. After lights-out, from 10 PM to 7 AM, the melatonin profile rose in both groups; however, the depressed group had a significantly higher increase (mean +/- SD, 0.24 +/- 0.14 nmol/L) than the controls [mean +/- SD, 0.18 +/- 0.07 nmol/L, F(1,26) = 4.93, mean square error = 0.11, P = .04]. Post hoc analysis showed a significantly higher melatonin profile in depressed subjects without psychosis (n = 15) than in depressed subjects with psychosis (n = 7) or in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the overall nocturnal serum melatonin profile during darkness may help to differentiate children and adolescents with major depression without psychosis from those with psychosis and from controls.
Subject(s)
Circadian Rhythm , Depressive Disorder/blood , Melatonin/blood , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/physiopathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Pineal Gland/physiology , Pineal Gland/physiopathology , Radioimmunoassay , Sleep/physiology , Wakefulness/physiologyABSTRACT
One hundred twenty-nine type 1 diabetic children and 176 non-diabetic siblings from the Louisville referral area were HLA typed by microlymphocytotoxicity technique. DR antigen frequencies were compared to frequencies for the Southeast USA population. Frequencies of DR3 and DR4 were significantly increased in both the diabetics and their unaffected siblings relative to the general population and DR2 was decreased. Forty-six percent of diabetic children possessed both DR3 and DR4 antigens while only 7% had neither. The findings are consistent with those in other geographical areas and give strong support to the role of DR3 and DR4 antigens as markers for diabetes susceptibility genes.
