Sh. Kennedy et al., NOCTURNAL MELATONIN AND 24-HOUR 6-SULPHATOXYMELATONIN LEVELS IN VARIOUS PHASES OF BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE-DISORDER, Psychiatry research, 63(2-3), 1996, pp. 219-222
Nine bipolar patients (2 men and 7 women) and 12 healthy control subje
cts completed overnight sampling for serum melatonin (MT) and urinary
6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), The patients were investigated during m
anic, depressed, and/or euthymic states, Although serum MT levels did
not differ significantly across the bipolar groups, in all cases serum
MT levels were significantly lower than in control subjects. Differen
ces in MT levels were also present between bipolar patients who were i
n a depressed phase and control subjects. There were no statistically
significant differences in urinary aMT6s levels among the patients and
control subjects, although in all cases nocturnal aMT6s levels were s
ignificantly higher than daytime levels. This study provides tentative
evidence for decreased serum MT as a trait but not a state marker in
bipolar affective disorder.