Melatonina, ritmos biológicos e sono - uma revisão da literatura Melatonin, biological rhythms and sleep - a review of the literature
Year: 2008
Type: review
Abstract: Melatonin, hormone of the pineal gland, exhibits immunomodulatory properties, antiinflamatory actions, antitumor effects, antioxidative protection and chronobiotic modulation. The period of its secretion occurs at night, and is thereby associated with sleep, lowered core body temperature and other night time events. Its main function in mammals is to mediate dark signals, transducing information about the length of the night, with possible implications on circadian rhythm and seasonability controls. Complexes neuroanatomical pathways that connect the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus to the pineal gland control its secretion. Its plasmatic levels are small, undetectable in some individuals, and even minimal exogenous doses can induce sleep in healthy humans. It can also improve the quality of sleep, inducing a sleepiness state which resembles the natural sleep, without side effects, differently from the effects of the most hypnotics, such the benzodiazepines. Therefore, melatonin use is considered promising on treatment of sleep disorders, such insomnia.
Language: Portuguese
Subfield: Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2336807077