Diminished Melatonin Secretion in the Elderly Caused by Insufficient Environmental Illumination1
Abstract
The pineal hormone melatonin has some circadian regulatory effects and is assumed to have a close relation with sleep initiation and maintenance. Many previous reports have described age-related decreases in melatonin levels, especially in elderly insomniacs (EIs), which may act as causal or exacerbating factors in sleep disturbances in the elderly. Ten elderly residents with psychophysiological insomnia (mean age, 74.2 yr), 10 healthy residents of the same home [elderly control (EC) group; mean age, 72.7 yr], and 10 healthy young control subjects (mean age, 20.9 yr) living at home participated in this study. The elderly persons, especially the EIs, were exposed to significantly less environmental light and simultaneously suffered from significantly diminished nocturnal melatonin secretion. Supplementary exposure to 4 h (1000 to 1200 h, 1400 to 1600 h) of midday bright light in the EI group significantly increased melatonin secretion to levels similar to those in the young control group without circadian phase-shifting. There was a tendency for the magnitude of the increase in nocturnal melatonin secretion stimulated by bright light to parallel amelioration of sleep disturbances in these subjects. The present findings suggest that we need to pay attention to elderly individuals who suffer under conditions of poor environmental light resulting in disorganized circadian rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.
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At midday, bright light exposure can phase-advance and increase the amplitude of nocturnal melatonin production in healthy subjects and in elderly patients with insomnia.
“At midday, bright light exposure can phase-advance and increase the amplitude of nocturnal melatonin production in healthy subjects (12) and in elderly patients with insomnia (13).”
From Adjunctive Bright Light Therapy for Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial (2018) · cites this paper as [13]
Sleep parameters (decreased awake time at night, increased sleep efficiency, and reduced wake time after sleep onset) have been found to be improved with midday light therapy.
“Sleep parameters (decreased awake time at night, increased sleep efficiency, and reduced wake time after sleep onset) have also been found to be improved with midday light therapy (13).”
From Adjunctive Bright Light Therapy for Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial (2018) · cites this paper as [13]
Midday bright light therapy possibly has subtle effects on the circadian system that might have mitigated the risk for hypomania or mixed symptoms.
“and possibly subtle effects on the circadian system (12, 13) that might have mitigated the risk for hypomania or mixed symptoms, as observed in our earlier report (5).”
From Adjunctive Bright Light Therapy for Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial (2018) · cites this paper as [13]
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- Authors
- Mishima, K., Okawa, M., Shimizu, T., & Hishikawa, Y.
- Affiliations
- Akita University (JP)
- National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (JP)
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 2001-01-01
- Volume
- 86
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 129-134
- ISSN
- 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7197
- OpenAlex
- W2061740819
- Cited by
- 218
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 2.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Keywords
- melatonin secretion, older adults, psychophysiological insomnia, bright light exposure, circadian rhythm, sleep disorders, age-related decline, circadian phase shift, sleep-wake cycle
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Female, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Lighting, Male, Melatonin, Periodicity, Reference Values, Sleep
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