Agomelatine, melatonin and depressive disorder

Abstract

Alteration of nocturnal melatonin production, along with circadian rhythm disturbance, has been demonstrated in several psychiatric disorders. It has been postulated that such disturbances might be causal reflecting a more fundamental abnormality of the function of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN contains the body's master 'clock' while the pineal-SCN nexus is intricate to the nighttime production of melatonin. The more compelling case for causality is made for major depressive disorder (MDD). Lending weight to this proposition is the introduction of agomelatine as an antidepressant agent. Through its actions on melatonin receptors agomelatine can resynchronise circadian rhythms. ..