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Melatonin or a melatonin agonist corrects age-related changes in circadian response to environmental stimulus.

par Van Reeth, Olivier ;Weibel, Laurence ;Olivares Fontt, Elizabeth ;Maccari, Stefania ;Mocaer, Elisabeth;Turek, Fred
Référence American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 280, 5, page (R1582-R1591)
Publication Publié, 2001-05

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

The effects of a melatonin agonist, S-20098, included in the diet were tested on a specific effect of aging in hamsters: the marked decline in the phase shifting effects of a 6-h pulse of darkness on a background of constant light. In contrast to young hamsters, old hamsters fed with the control diet showed little or no phase shifts in response to a dark pulse presented in the middle of their inactive or active period. Old hamsters fed with S-20098 showed phase shifts that were ~70% of the ones in young animals and significantly greater than those in old controls. The phase advancing response to a dark pulse presented during the inactive period was dose dependent and reversed after S-20098 discontinuation. Melatonin included in the diet showed comparable restorative effects on the phase shifting response to a dark pulse in old hamsters. Replacement therapy with melatonin or melatonin-related compounds could prove useful in treating, preventing, or delaying disturbances of circadian rhythmicity and/or sleep in older people.