6533b7d0fe1ef96bd125a4a4

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Effects of melatonin on spontaneous electrical activity of neurons in rat suprachiasmatic nuclei: an in vitro iontophoretic study.

J. StehleLutz VollrathJ Vanecek

subject

Malemedicine.medical_specialtyCentral nervous systemAction PotentialsBiologyIn Vitro TechniquesMelatoninInternal medicinemedicineAnimalsCircadian rhythmBiological PsychiatryMelatoninNeuronsIontophoresisSuprachiasmatic nucleusIontophoresisIn vitroCircadian RhythmRatsPsychiatry and Mental healthElectrophysiologyEndocrinologymedicine.anatomical_structureNeurologyHypothalamusSuprachiasmatic NucleusNeurology (clinical)medicine.drug

description

Circadian rhythms, endogenously generated in suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), seem to be under the direct influence of melatonin. Therefore, the effect of iontophoretically applied melatonin on electrical activity of SCN neurons was investigated in vitro. Usually, melatonin had an inhibitory effect. In the 3-h periods before (2.00-5.00 p.m.) or after (5.00-8.00 p.m.) the light-dark transition the percentage of SCN neurons sensitive to melatonin was very high (80% and 100%, respectively). However, efficacy of melatonin was low in the periods preceeding (20%) and following (33%) this 6-h time interval.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
1989-06-01Journal of neural transmission
10.1007/bf01252503https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2809584