Article information
Resumen
La melatonina es sintetizada por la glándula pineal siguiendo un patrón circadiano con los niveles elevados durante las horas de oscuridad. El patrón de secreción de melatonina evoluciona a lo largo de la vida, alcanza los valores más altos entre 1 y 3 años, entre 15 y 20 años experimenta una caída del 80%. Durante las décadas siguientes, sus niveles disminuyen moderadamente hasta los 70-90 años. Precisamente este descenso en los niveles de melatonina coincidiendo con el proceso de envejecimiento sano, ha movido a muchos investigadores a plantearse los posibles efectos de la melatonina como substancia capaz de retrasar el proceso del envejecimiento o paliar los desórdenes derivados del mismo. Los campos de investigación más destacados en estos últimos años han sido: efectos de la melatonina como agente antioxidante y como regulador circadiano, y/o variaciones relacionadas con el ciclo sueño/vigilia dependientes de la edad. Los resultados científicos han puesto de manifiesto la capacidad antioxidante de la melatonina en todos los modelos experimentales estudiados. Como hormona reguladora del sueño ha mostrado ser eficaz mejorando la calidad del sueño, siempre que el insomnio esté asociado a producción nocturna de melatonina disminuida.
Palabras clave:
Melatonina
Envejecimiento
Capacidad antioxidante
Sueño
Summary
Melatonin (MLT) is synthesized by the pineal gland following a circadian rhythm with increased levels at nighttime. The secretion pattern develops during lifetime, reaching its highest values at 1-3 years old and then experiencing an 80% fall at between 15-20 years old. In the following decades, the serum MLT declines moderately up to ages 70-90 years. This decrease in melatonin levels coinciding with the healthy aging processes has led many investigators to suggest the possible effects of melatonin as a substance that can delay aging or alleviatedisorders from it. The most outstanding fields of investigation in recent years have been on the effects of melatonin as an anti-oxidative agent as circadian regulator and/or age-dependent variations related with the sleep/wake cycle. The scientific results have manifested the anti-oxidative capacity of melatonin in all the experimental models studied. As a sleep regulator hormone, it has been shown to be effective in improving sleep quality, as long as the insomnia is associated with the nocturnal MLT deficiency.
Key words:
Melatonin
Aging
Antioxidative capacity
Sleep
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