Human circadian rhythm in serum melatonin in short winter days and in simulated artificial long days

Neurosci Lett. 1992 Mar 2;136(2):173-6. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(92)90042-6.

Abstract

Serum melatonin rhythm was studied in 6 human subjects experiencing short winter days resembling light/dark (LD) 8:16 h and in 6 subjects exposed at the same time to a long, LD 16:8 h skeleton photoperiod, with 3 h of bright light in the evening and again in the morning; 4 out of the 6 subjects entrained to the simulated summer photoperiod within 3 days. In the synchronized subjects, the nocturnal melatonin signal was 3 h shorter than in those experiencing just winter days. The data indicate that humans are able to respond to environmental day length by forming a proper endogenous photoperiodic signal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Male
  • Melatonin / blood*
  • Seasons*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Melatonin