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Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders
Published in: Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders 1/2007

Open Access 01-12-2007 | Review

Melatonin the "light of night" in human biology and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Authors: Theodoros B Grivas, Olga D Savvidou

Published in: Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders | Issue 1/2007

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Abstract

Melatonin "the light of night" is secreted from the pineal gland principally at night. The hormone is involved in sleep regulation, as well as in a number of other cyclical bodily activities and circadian rhythm in humans. Melatonin is exclusively involved in signalling the 'time of day' and 'time of year' (hence considered to help both clock and calendar functions) to all tissues and is thus considered to be the body's chronological pacemaker or 'Zeitgeber'.
The last decades melatonin has been used as a therapeutic chemical in a large spectrum of diseases, mainly in sleep disturbances and tumours and may play a role in the biologic regulation of mood, affective disorders, cardiovascular system, reproduction and aging. There are few papers regarding melatonin and its role in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Melatonin may play a role in the pathogenesis of scoliosis (neuroendocrine hypothesis) but at present, the data available cannot clearly support this hypothesis. Uncertainties and doubts still surround the role of melatonin in human physiology and pathophysiology and future research is needed.
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Metadata
Title
Melatonin the "light of night" in human biology and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Authors
Theodoros B Grivas
Olga D Savvidou
Publication date
01-12-2007
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders / Issue 1/2007
Electronic ISSN: 2397-1789
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-7161-2-6

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