Melatonin physiology and pathophysiology, basic and clinical studies: characterization of the primary and secundary Hypomelatoninemia Syndromes

Abstract

Using a new conceptual framework of analysis of melatonin physiology and pathophysiology, the aim of this project is to study the Hypomelatoninemia Syndrome, either primary or secondary. The project is divided in three groups of research. The first group aims to study the consequences of the absence and therapeutic replacement of melatonin onseveral aspects of pregnancy physiology and fetal development and programming. In addition of studying maternal pancreatic remodelling, melatonin synthesis and maternal neurogenesis, the offspring (male and female) will be studied just after weaning, as young and during the aging process. The physiological and pathophysiological areas included in this experimental study are glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, male and female reproduction, thyroid endocrinology, cardiovascular system and blood pressure regulation, circadian rhythmicity, learning ability, neural plasticity and neural susceptibility to drug action. The second group of research aims to characterize the human Hypomelatoninemic Syndrome, either primary or secondary, in several clinical conditions. The patients (pinealectomized, Diabetes type 1, Parkinson Disease, Autism and Bipolar Disorders) will be studied on glucose, lipid and energy metabolism, cardiovascular system, blood pressure regulation and heart rate variability, in addition to sleep and circadian rhythmicity. Moreover, the correlation between environmental illumination, melatonin synthesis and individual and transgenerational health will be considered in three situations: ICU patients, physiological adaptation to acute aerobic exercise and metabolic health and neural development of children born to mothers that worked during the night when pregnant. Finaly, in a third group of research the aim is to study the balance between pineal melatonin and local produced melatonin on retinal and cerebral coroid plexus functions. (AU)