Diminished melatonin secretion in the elderly caused by insufficient environmental illumination
Diminished melatonin secretion in the elderly caused by insufficient environmental illumination
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DOI：
10.1210/jc.86.1.129
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发表时间：
2001-01-01
影响因子：
5.8
通讯作者：
Hishikawa, Y
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mishima, K;Okawa, M;Hishikawa, Y
松果体褪黑激素具有一定的昼夜节律调节作用，被认为与睡眠的开始和维持有密切的关系。许多先前的报告都描述了与年龄相关的褪黑激素水平下降，特别是在老年失眠症（ei）中，这可能是老年人睡眠障碍的原因或加剧因素。心理生理性失眠的老年居民10名（平均年龄74.2岁），同一家庭健康居民10名[老年对照（EC）组]；平均年龄（72.7岁）和10名健康青年（平均年龄，20.9岁）在家生活的对照组参加了本研究。老年人，尤其是ei，暴露在环境光下的时间明显减少，同时夜间褪黑激素分泌明显减少。在EI组补充照射4小时（1000 - 1200小时，1400 - 1600小时）的正午强光照显著增加褪黑激素分泌，其水平与没有昼夜相移的年轻对照组相似。在这些受试者中，明亮光线刺激下夜间褪黑激素分泌增加的幅度有平行改善睡眠障碍的趋势。目前的研究结果表明，我们需要关注那些在环境光线不足的情况下遭受昼夜节律紊乱的老年人，包括睡眠-觉醒周期。
The pineal hormone melatonin has some circadian regulatory effects and is assumed to have a close relation with sleep initiation and maintenance. Many previous reports have described age-related decreases in melatonin levels, especially in elderly insomniacs (EIs), which may act as causal or exacerbating factors in sleep disturbances in the elderly. Ten elderly residents with psychophysiological insomnia (mean age, 74.2 yr), 10 healthy residents of the same home [elderly control (EC) group; mean age, 72.7 yr], and 10 healthy young control subjects (mean age, 20.9 yr) living at home participated in this study. The elderly persons, especially the EIs, were exposed to significantly less environmental light and simultaneously suffered from significantly diminished nocturnal melatonin secretion. Supplementary exposure to 4 h (1000 to 1200 h, 1400 to 1600 h) of midday bright light in the EI group significantly increased melatonin secretion to levels similar to those in the young control group without circadian phase-shifting. There was a tendency for the magnitude of the increase in nocturnal melatonin secretion stimulated by bright light to parallel amelioration of sleep disturbances in these subjects. The present findings suggest that we need to pay attention to elderly individuals who suffer under conditions of poor environmental light resulting in disorganized circadian rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.