Cindy Monroe was a busy stay-at home mom of two boys. She volunteered at her son
ID: 3508851 • Letter: C
Question
Cindy Monroe was a busy stay-at home mom of two boys. She volunteered at her son's schools, took care of her mom (after several strokes, she needed more help), and took pride in maintaining a tidy and clean home. Lately, she had been having problems sleeping. Her friends told her to take some sleeping aid pills, but those made her feel groggy in the morning. She was also afraid that if she slept too well, and might miss hearing her boys in the middle of the night if they had a problem. This gave her even more anxiety. Another friend mentioned that the active ingredient in those sleep aids is the same as in allergy medications-and to be sure to not overdose! That really terrified Mrs. Monroe. She decided to try something 'all natural': melatonin. Her cousin used it all the time to deal with jet-lag (the downfall of all those trips to Paris), so why not try it?Explanation / Answer
2 Serotonin and melatonin are both hormones that regulate various human functions such as sleep, appetite and mood. Serotonin, which is produced in the body, is known as a neurotransmitter; this means it is responsible for sending messages between nerve cells. Melatonin is a neurotransmitterlike substance that plays a vital role in regulating circadian rhythms, which in turn control sleeping patterns, hormone release and body temperature, among many other human functions.
Melatonin is used as a treatment for insomnia, delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), jet lag and insomnia associated with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is also used for other conditions, including chronic fatigue, depression, irritable bowel syndrome and anti-aging, though there is no scientific evidence supporting these uses. Serotonin-affecting compounds are primarily used as treatments for depression. Prescription drugs known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) stop serotonin from being reabsorbed, which elevates serum serotonin levels and can improve depression symptoms. Too much serotonin can also cause problems. Serotonin syndrome is a life-threatening condition that can occur when more than one drug that affects serotonin levels is ingested.
The precursor to melatonin is serotonin, a neurotransmitter that itself is derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Within the pineal gland, serotonin is acetylated and then methylated to yield melatonin.
serum concentrations of melatonin are low during the daylight hours, and increase to a peak during the dark.
The mechanism behind this pattern of secretion during the dark cycle is that activity of the rate-limiting enzyme in melatonin synthesis - serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT) - is low during daylight and peaks during the dark phase. In some species, circadian changes in NAT activity are tightly correlated with transcription of the NAT messenger RNA, while in other species, post-transcriptional regulation of NAT activity is responsible. Activity of the other enzyme involved in synthesis of melatonin from serotonin - the methyltransferase - does not show regulation by pattern of light exposure.
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