Role of Melatonin in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disease that disturbs several cognitive functions, such as memory, thought, perception and volition. Schizophrenia’s biological etiology is multifactorial and is still under investigation. Melatonin has been involved in schizophrenia since the first decades of the twentieth century. Research into melatonin regarding schizophrenia has followed two different approaches. The first approach is related to the use of melatonin as a biological marker. The second approach deals with the clinical applications of melatonin as a drug treatment. In this paper, both aspects of melatonin application are reviewed. Its clinical use in schizophrenia is emphasized.

The effects of sleep disturbances on patients receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder: cortical thickness evidence

“…Moreover, sleep deprivation alone also interfered with melatonin secretion ( 39 ). Melatonin secretion disorders were related to cortical excitation-inhibition homeostasis, as confirmed in the practice of autism spectrum disorder ( 40 ) and schizophrenia ( 41 ). A previous double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel-group study found that supplementing an appropriate amount of melatonin (10 milligrams per day before bedtime) during the MMT period in OUD patients could improve their subjective sleep quality, as well as depression and anxiety scores ( 42 ).…”

The effects of sleep disturbances on patients receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder: cortical thickness evidence

“…Moreover, sleep deprivation alone also interfered with melatonin secretion ( 39 ). Melatonin secretion disorders were related to cortical excitation-inhibition homeostasis, as confirmed in the practice of autism spectrum disorder ( 40 ) and schizophrenia ( 41 ). A previous double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel-group study found that supplementing an appropriate amount of melatonin (10 milligrams per day before bedtime) during the MMT period in OUD patients could improve their subjective sleep quality, as well as depression and anxiety scores ( 42 ).…”

Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Role of Apoptotic Inhibitors in Neurodegeneration and Their Potential Use in Schizophrenia

“…Despite the lack of studies using caspase and apoptotic-inhibitors in SZ ( Table S2 ), a limited proportion of previously expounded substances associated with anti-apoptotic mechanisms have been tested in this psychiatric disease ( Table S7 ). Melatonin has been reported both as a surrogate marker and therapeutic agent in SZ [ 124 ]. SZ-like behavior was reported to be unchanged by melatonin supplementation in rodents [ 125 ], whereas other studies report attenuation of SZ-like symptoms and a protective effect on the prefrontal cortex region of brain by mitigating the alteration of neurotoxicity markers [ 126 ].…”

The Potential Role of Melatonin on Mental Disorders: Insights from Physiology and Pharmacology

“…Melatonin levels have also been used to differentiate clinical subtypes of schizophrenia. The paranoid subtype has been reported to have lower melatonin levels than healthy subjects, as well as similar levels to healthy controls [34] melatonin concentration is lower in paranoid subtype of schizophrenia patients [38].…”

The effects of sleep disturbances on patients receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder: cortical thickness evidence

“…Moreover, sleep deprivation alone also interfered with melatonin secretion ( 39 ). Melatonin secretion disorders were related to cortical excitation-inhibition homeostasis, as confirmed in the practice of autism spectrum disorder ( 40 ) and schizophrenia ( 41 ). A previous double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel-group study found that supplementing an appropriate amount of melatonin (10 milligrams per day before bedtime) during the MMT period in OUD patients could improve their subjective sleep quality, as well as depression and anxiety scores ( 42 ).…”

Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Role of Apoptotic Inhibitors in Neurodegeneration and Their Potential Use in Schizophrenia

“…Despite the lack of studies using caspase and apoptotic-inhibitors in SZ ( Table S2 ), a limited proportion of previously expounded substances associated with anti-apoptotic mechanisms have been tested in this psychiatric disease ( Table S7 ). Melatonin has been reported both as a surrogate marker and therapeutic agent in SZ [ 124 ]. SZ-like behavior was reported to be unchanged by melatonin supplementation in rodents [ 125 ], whereas other studies report attenuation of SZ-like symptoms and a protective effect on the prefrontal cortex region of brain by mitigating the alteration of neurotoxicity markers [ 126 ].…”

The Potential Role of Melatonin on Mental Disorders: Insights from Physiology and Pharmacology

“…Melatonin levels have also been used to differentiate clinical subtypes of schizophrenia. The paranoid subtype has been reported to have lower melatonin levels than healthy subjects, as well as similar levels to healthy controls [34] melatonin concentration is lower in paranoid subtype of schizophrenia patients [38].…”

The effects of sleep disturbances on patients receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder: cortical thickness evidence

“…Moreover, sleep deprivation alone also interfered with melatonin secretion ( 39 ). Melatonin secretion disorders were related to cortical excitation-inhibition homeostasis, as confirmed in the practice of autism spectrum disorder ( 40 ) and schizophrenia ( 41 ). A previous double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel-group study found that supplementing an appropriate amount of melatonin (10 milligrams per day before bedtime) during the MMT period in OUD patients could improve their subjective sleep quality, as well as depression and anxiety scores ( 42 ).…”

Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Role of Apoptotic Inhibitors in Neurodegeneration and Their Potential Use in Schizophrenia

“…Despite the lack of studies using caspase and apoptotic-inhibitors in SZ ( Table S2 ), a limited proportion of previously expounded substances associated with anti-apoptotic mechanisms have been tested in this psychiatric disease ( Table S7 ). Melatonin has been reported both as a surrogate marker and therapeutic agent in SZ [ 124 ]. SZ-like behavior was reported to be unchanged by melatonin supplementation in rodents [ 125 ], whereas other studies report attenuation of SZ-like symptoms and a protective effect on the prefrontal cortex region of brain by mitigating the alteration of neurotoxicity markers [ 126 ].…”

The Potential Role of Melatonin on Mental Disorders: Insights from Physiology and Pharmacology

“…Melatonin levels have also been used to differentiate clinical subtypes of schizophrenia. The paranoid subtype has been reported to have lower melatonin levels than healthy subjects, as well as similar levels to healthy controls [34] melatonin concentration is lower in paranoid subtype of schizophrenia patients [38].…”