Depressed mood and reality disturbance correlate with decreased nocturnal melatonin in depressed patients.

Overview

The authors measured serum samples of melatonin at 11:00 p.m. in 28 patients suffering from major depression. Melatonin secretion was inversely correlated with the depressed mood and reality disturbance factors of the Hamilton Depression Scale. These results are consistent with previous reports of low melatonin syndrome in a subgroup of depressed patients.