Pain modulation role of melatonin in eating disorders

The objective of this study was to test the effect of melatonin on thermal pain threshold in female patients with eating disorders. Fourteen patients were included in the study. We found a parabolic relation between pain thre shold and the content of urine sulfatoxymelatonin (r = 0.6299, P < 0.05). W e can speculate that increase in severity of eating disorder pathology may decrease both the melatonin level and pain sensitivity. In contrast with ex pected melatonin analgesic effect, our results showed its possible normaliz ing influence as well on pathologically decreased pain sensitivity. (C) 200 1 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.