Melatonin is a neurohormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan. The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light, suggesting the involvement of melatonin in circadian rhythm and regulation of diverse body functions. Levels of melatonin in the blood are highest prior to bedtime.
Synthetic melatonin supplements have been used for a variety of medical conditions, most notably for disorders related to sleep.
Sleep enhancement in healthy people
Learning, memory and Alzheimers from Wikipedia
Melatonin receptors appear to be important in mechanisms of learning and memory in mice,[32] and melatonin can alter electrophysiological processes associated with memory, such as long-term potentiation (LTP). Melatonin has been shown to prevent the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein in rats. Hyperphosphorylation of tau protein can result in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, a pathological feature seen in Alzheimer's disease. Thus, melatonin may be effective for treating Alzheimer's Disease.[33] These same neurofibrillary tangles can be found in the hypothalamus in patients with Alzheimer's, adversely affecting their body's production of melatonin. Those Alzheimer's patients with this specific affliction often show heightened afternoon agitation, called "sundowning," which has been shown in many studies to be effectively treated with melatonin supplements in the evening.[34]
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