A Clinical Study on the Relationship Between the Pineal Gland and the Opioid System

Overview

Journal J Neural Transm

Specialties Neurology
Physiology

Date 1986 Jan 1

PMID 2937880

Citations 7

Authors

P Lissoni

D Esposti

G Esposti

R Mauri

M Resentini

F Morabito

P Fumagalli

A Santagostino

G Delitala

F Fraschini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recent reports point to a link between the pineal gland and the opioid system. In order to investigate this relationship, two separate studies were performed on humans. Beta-endorphin plasma levels were determined after melatonin administration (0.2 mg/kg b.w. i.m. at 2 p.m.). Melatonin serum values were evaluated after administration of FK 33-824, a met-enkephalin analogue (0.3 mg i.v. infusion at 9 a.m.). A significant decrease of beta-endorphin plasma levels was observed 120 minutes after melatonin injection. Melatonin release was stimulated by FK 33-824, with a peak at 30 minutes. The present results provide evidence of the inhibitory effect of melatonin on beta-endorphin secretion and the stimulatory action of the opioid peptides on the pineal gland. However, further studies will be required to clarify the relationship between the opioid system and the pineal gland.

Citing Articles

Antinociceptive effects of novel melatonin receptor agonists in mouse models of abdominal pain.

Chen C, Fichna J, Laudon M, Storr M World J Gastroenterol. 2014; 20(5):1298-304.

PMID: 24574803 PMC: 3921511. DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i5.1298.

Cardiovascular Responses to Tonic Pain in REM Sleep-Deprived Rats: Role of Melatonin and Beta Endorphin.

Kassab S, Sachdeva U, Das N, Al-Shaibani T, Nayar U Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2011; 6(1):51-6.

PMID: 21748128 PMC: 3074906.

Effects of melatonin in vivo upon luteinizing hormone and prolactin releases induced by opiate receptor antagonists in adult male rats.

Shacoori V, Saiag B, Lemay V, Girre A, Rault B J Endocrinol Invest. 1996; 19(2):76-82.

PMID: 8778169 DOI: 10.1007/BF03349840.

The presence of opioidergic pinealocytes in the pineal gland of the European hamster (Cricetus cricetus): an immunocytochemical study.

Coto-Montes A, Masson-Pevet M, Pevet P, Moller M Cell Tissue Res. 1994; 278(3):483-91.

PMID: 7850859 DOI: 10.1007/BF00331366.

The pineal gland-opioid system relation: melatonin-naloxone interactions in regulating GH and LH releases in man.

Esposti D, Lissoni P, Mauri R, ROVELLI F, Orsenigo L, Pescia S J Endocrinol Invest. 1988; 11(2):103-6.

PMID: 3361078 DOI: 10.1007/BF03350114.

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