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Sleep deprivation in humans: Effects on melatonin in cerebrospinal fluid and serum

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Abstract

Blood, urinary and saliva melatonin levels have been found to be associated with sleep disturbances and sleep deprivation. Melatonin responses to sleep deprivation have not been examined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy individuals. In this study, we measured CSF and serum melatonin before and after one night of sleep deprivation using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Melatonin levels increased in both CSF (+142%) as well as serum (+75%) after sleep deprivation but lacked correlation between both body fluids. These findings support melatonin’s central role for regulating sleep processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Jan Malte Bumb, Emanuel Schwarz, Frank Enning, Cathrin Rohleder, F. Markus Leweke & Ingo Noelte

  2. Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Peter Findeisen & F. Markus Leweke

  3. Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany

    Ingo Noelte

Authors
  1. Jan Malte Bumb
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  2. Emanuel Schwarz
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  3. Frank Enning
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  4. Cathrin Rohleder
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  5. Peter Findeisen
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  6. F. Markus Leweke
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  7. Ingo Noelte
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Markus Leweke.

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These authors share senior authorship.

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Bumb, J.M., Schwarz, E., Enning, F. et al. Sleep deprivation in humans: Effects on melatonin in cerebrospinal fluid and serum. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 12, 69–72 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1111/sbr.12039

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sbr.12039

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