Melatonin

what gland secretes melatonin?

pineal

what does melatonin track?

the circadian rhythm

melatonin levels

high at night, low in the day

where are the impulses that signal dawn/dusk to the retina first channelled?

suprachiasmatic nuclei in anterior hypothalamus

where do the suprachiasmatic nuclei pass on the information?

to the pineal gland

how does the pineal gland adapt melatonin concentrations in blood?

to match a 24 hour cycle

what kind of relationship do light and melatonin have?

inverse

which amino acid synthesizes melatonin?

tryptophan

melatonin effects

body core temperature drops, receptors in kidneys decrease uria production, increased sleepiness

what is the relevance of jet lag and sleep/melatonin?

it artificially distrubs the circadian rhythm

jet lag effects

irritability, headaches, indigestion, mid-day sleepiness

high melatonin levels vs. low melatonin levels

sleepy/bed time vs. light returning/beginning to wake up

circadian rhythm

regulated night/day cycle

what help to decrease melatonin concentrations?

external cues such as light, food, noise, and temperature