Ignite Creation Date:
2024-05-05 @ 9:27 AM
Last Modification Date:
2024-10-26 @ 9:02 AM
Study NCT ID:
NCT00001485
Status:
COMPLETED
Last Update Posted:
2008-03-04
First Post:
1999-11-03
Brief Title:
Effects of Season on Melatonin Secretion in Healthy Men and Women and Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder
Sponsor:
National Institute of Mental Health NIMH
Organization:
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center CC
Study Overview
Official Title:
Gender Differences in the Effects of Season on Patterns of Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion in Healthy Volunteers and Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD
Status:
COMPLETED
Status Verified Date:
1999-08
Last Known Status:
None
Delayed Posting:
No
If Stopped, Why?:
Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access:
False
If Expanded Access, NCT#:
N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status:
N/A
Acronym:
None
Brief Summary:
As the seasons change during the course of the year many animals show major changes in their behavior and physiology Many of these changes are triggered by changes in the length of time each night that the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin Melatonin is produced for a longer time in winter when nights are long than in summer when nights are short
Some researchers believe that melatonin may play a similar role in how season effects mood of patients with seasonal affective disorder Seasonal affective disorder SAD or mood disorder with seasonal pattern is a condition where the normal biorhythm is disturbed during a season especially autumn-winter Patients may begin experiencing or experience worsening of depressive symptoms Patients complain of being constantly tired craving sugary foods overeating and over sleeping
Researchers have collected some preliminary data showing that the duration of nighttime melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women but not in healthy men However men diagnosed with SAD have shown longer duration of melatonin secretion in the winter similar to the duration seen in healthy women If these early findings are confirmed it may explain why SAD is more common in women than in men
The purpose of this study is to continue researching the differences in melatonin secretion over the seasons in healthy men and women and to determine how these findings may apply to patients with SAD
Some researchers believe that melatonin may play a similar role in how season effects mood of patients with seasonal affective disorder Seasonal affective disorder SAD or mood disorder with seasonal pattern is a condition where the normal biorhythm is disturbed during a season especially autumn-winter Patients may begin experiencing or experience worsening of depressive symptoms Patients complain of being constantly tired craving sugary foods overeating and over sleeping
Researchers have collected some preliminary data showing that the duration of nighttime melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women but not in healthy men However men diagnosed with SAD have shown longer duration of melatonin secretion in the winter similar to the duration seen in healthy women If these early findings are confirmed it may explain why SAD is more common in women than in men
The purpose of this study is to continue researching the differences in melatonin secretion over the seasons in healthy men and women and to determine how these findings may apply to patients with SAD
Detailed Description:
Changes in the duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion that are induced by seasonal changes in the length of the night trigger many of the dramatic seasonal changes in behavior that occur in animals It has been hypothesized that melatonin plays a similar role as chemical mediator of the effects of season on mood in patients with seasonal affective disorder SAD For such a hypothesis to be tenable it would be necessary to show that duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion changes on a seasonal basis in patients with SAD We have preliminary evidence that the duration and amplitude of nocturnal melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women but not in healthy men This gender difference if confirmed might explain why SAD is more prevalent in women than men Interestingly all of five men with SAD that we have studied to date exhibited lengthening of melatonin secretion in winter as occurs in healthy women However the response of women with SAD is less consistent The purpose of the present protocol is to extend and confirm our finding of gender differences in the response of melatonin secretion to change of season in healthy individuals and to determine whether and to what extent this response occurs in patients with SAD
Study Oversight
Has Oversight DMC:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Device?:
None
Is an Unapproved Device?:
None
Is a PPSD?:
None
Is a US Export?:
None
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:
None
Secondary IDs
| Secondary ID | Type | Domain | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95-M-0149 | None | None | None |