Disruption of melatonin circadian rhythm production is related to multiple sclerosis severity: A preliminary study

Autor(es)

Damasceno, Alfredo ^{[1, 2]} ; Moraes, Adriel Santos ^[2] ; Farias, Alessandro ^[2] ; Damasceno, Benito Pereira ^[1] ; Barbosa dos Santos, Leonilda Maria ^[2] ; Cendes, Fernando ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Dept Neurol, Campinas - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Neuroimmunol Unit, Dept Genet Evolut & Bioagents, Campinas - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES; v. 353, n. 1-2, p. 166-168, JUN 15 2015.
• Citações Web of Science: 17

Resumo

Sunlight can influence the immune system independently of vitamin D, such as through melatonin production in the pineal gland. Inflammatory disorders can suppress nocturnal melatonin production, but only a few studies have investigated melatonin status in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to study melatonin production in association with clinical and immunological data in MS patients. Eleven treated relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and eight controls underwent neurological examination and were assessed for fatigue severity and depressive symptoms. Inflammatory cytokines were analyzed in blood samples and concentration of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SMT) was determined in 24 h urine. Patients with an abnormal proportion of overnight 6-SMT (n = 8,72.7%) had higher disability and fatigue severity (p < 0.05). Overnight 6-SMT was inversely related with fatigue severity (p = 0.016), number of relapses in the previous 12 months (p = 0.010) and EDSS scores (p = 0.049). In conclusion, disruption of melatonin circadian rhythm production is frequent among RRMS patients and seemingly related to higher disability and fatigue scores. Future studies with larger sample size are necessary to establish melatonin status as a biomarker of disease severity in MS. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/00885-4 - Avaliação longitudinal da atrofia cerebral e espessura cortical e sua relação com fatores clínicos e imunológicos em pacientes com esclerose múltipla
• Beneficiário: Alfredo Damasceno
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado Direto