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Related Experiment Videos

Relationship between melatonin rhythms and visual loss in the blind

S W Lockley1, D J Skene, J Arendt

  • 1Chronobiology Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, United Kingdom. s.lockley@surrey.ac.uk

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|November 14, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Registered blind individuals with no light perception (NPL) show significantly more abnormal melatonin rhythms than those with light perception (LP). This suggests a strong link between profound blindness and disrupted circadian melatonin production.

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Area of Science:

  • Chronobiology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Melatonin, a hormone regulating sleep-wake cycles, is influenced by light exposure.
  • Disruptions in melatonin rhythms are common in blind individuals, impacting circadian health.
  • Assessing melatonin metabolite rhythms can reveal the extent of circadian disruption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate melatonin (6-sulfatoxymelatonin, aMT6s) rhythmicity in registered blind individuals.
  • To compare melatonin rhythm patterns between those with light perception (LP) and no light perception (NPL).
  • To determine if the degree of vision loss correlates with circadian rhythm abnormalities.

Main Methods:

  • Collected overnight urine samples every 4 hours for 48 hours over 3-5 weeks from 49 registered blind individuals.

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  • Measured urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) to assess melatonin metabolite rhythms.
  • Classified subjects into light perception (LP) and no light perception (NPL) groups based on visual ability.

    • Main Results:

    • Most LP subjects (14/19) exhibited normally entrained aMT6s rhythms.
    • A higher proportion of NPL subjects (23/30) displayed abnormal melatonin rhythms, including free-running and abnormally entrained patterns.
    • Melatonin production output and amplitude did not significantly differ between LP and NPL groups.

    Conclusions:

    • Profound blindness (NPL) is associated with a greater incidence of abnormal melatonin rhythms compared to partial sight (LP).
    • Circadian rhythm disruption, as indicated by melatonin metabolite patterns, is more prevalent in individuals with no light perception.
    • These findings highlight the critical role of light perception in maintaining normal circadian melatonin regulation.