The
hormone melatonin is sometimes called the body's built-in biological
clock because it coordinates so many physical functions in conjunction
with the sleep wake cycle. Abnormal melatonin patterns have been
closely linked to a variety of behavioral changes and mood disorders.
In
general, studies have reported decreased nocturnal melatonin levels
in patients suffering from depression.1-3 One investigation of major
depression in children and adolescents found that melatonin levels
were significantly lower in depressed subjects with psychosis than
in depressed subjects without psychosis.4
Besides
abnormal levels, a disrupted melatonin secretion rhythm may also
affect mood. An unstable circadian secretion pattern of melatonin
is associated with depression in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).5
In a fascinating study on geomagnetic storms and depression, British
researchers found that male hospital admissions with a diagnosis
of depression rose 36.2% during periods of geomagnetic activity
as compared with normal periods. The investigators hypothesized
that this increase may have been caused by a phase advance in the
circadian rhythm of melatonin production.6
A noninvasive
saliva test, the Comprehensive Melatonin Profile measures melatonin
levels over a complete light-dark cycle, revealing potential imbalances
and disruptions of circadian rhythm that could play an important
role in mood disturbances.
References:
1 Arendt J. Melatonin--a new probe in psychiatric investigation?
Br J Psychiatry 1989;155:585 590.
2 Brown RP, Kocsis JH, Caroff S, Amsterdam J, Winokur A, Stokes
P, Frazer A. Depressed mood and reality disturbance correlate with
decreased nocturnal melatonin in depressed patients. Acta Psychiatr
Scand 1987;76(3):272-5.
3 McIntyre IM, Judd FK, Marriott PM, Burrows GD, Norman TR. Int
J Clin Pharmacol Res 1989;9(2):159-164.
4 Shafii M, MacMillan DR, Key MP, Derrick AM, Kaufman N, Nahinsky
ID. Nocturnal serum melatonin profile in major depression in children
and adolescents. Arch Gen Psychiatr 1996;53(11): 1009-13.
5 Thompson C, Childs PA, Martin NJ, Rodin I, Smythe PJ. Effects
of morning phototherapy on circadian markers in seasonal affective
disorder. Br J Psychiatry 1997;170(431-435).
6 Kay RW. Geomagnetic storms: association with incidence of depression
as measured by hospital admission. Br J Psychiatry 1994 164(3):
403-9.
All
lab tests can be done through the mail in the privacy of your own
home, except blood tests, we send you to a lab to have your blood
drawn for these. After you pay for the test we mail you the kit,
the results take two weeks, the test results will be mailed to us
and we will call you to go over the results, its that easy! All
tests include the consultation for the report of findings.
Click on area
of interest on the right for more information
Call our office
for details. 800-956-7083 OR 818-707-3126
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