Topic: Brain imaging, connectivity and assessment
Plain-language summary
The circadian rhythm of the pineal gland hormone, melatonin is generated within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), site of the circadian clock. The circadian clock and its output melatonin rhythm is synchronized to the 24h day by environmental light which is transmitted from the retina to the SCN primarily via the retinohypothalamic tract. Changes in both the amplitude and timing of the melatonin rhythm have been reported with aging in humans. Whether these age-related changes (reduced melatonin amplitude, earlier timing of melatonin rhythm) are a result of aging of the retina, the SCN clock, the pineal gland, their neural connections or a combination of some or all of these is not known. The fragmented sleep/wake patterns observed in the elderly and to a greater extent in patients with Alzheimer's disease have been shown to be partly related to an altered retina-SCN-pineal axis. Therapies designed to reinforce the circadian axis (for example, administration of melatonin or light) have been reported to alleviate the disturbed circadian rhythms and disrupted sleep. Future research needs to pinpoint the site(s) of age-related dysfunction so that therapies can be specifically tailored to correct the abnormality in addition to reinforcing any of the intact processes.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Skene, D. J., & Swaab, D. F. (2003). Melatonin rhythmicity: effect of age and Alzheimer's disease. Experimental gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00198-5
Vancouver
Skene DJ, Swaab DF. Melatonin rhythmicity: effect of age and Alzheimer's disease. Experimental gerontology. 2003. doi:10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00198-5. PMID: 12543278.
BibTeX
@article{skene2003-12543278,
author = {Skene, D. J. and Swaab, D. F.},
title = {{Melatonin rhythmicity: effect of age and Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Experimental gerontology},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00198-5},
pmid = {12543278},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00198-5}
}
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Key findings
- Whether these age-related changes (reduced melatonin amplitude, earlier timing of melatonin rhythm) are a result of aging of the retina, the SCN clock, the pineal gland, their neural connections or a combination of some or all of these is not known.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Experimental gerontology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12543278) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 21 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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