[Melatonin and mental disorders. Review of neuro-endocrinologic aspects. II: Melatonin and depressive disorders].

The authors have carried out a bibliography revision about the relation between Melatonin secretion in the pineal gland and mental disorders. In the introduction a revision is done of the aspects of the anatomical functions of Melatonin secretion regulation. After words they study from a chronological perspective' studies of literature with reference to mental disorders. Two stages in the evolution of knowledge about Melatonin. The first stage consists of pharmacologic studies and pharmacotherapeutic studies and pharmaco-endocrine studies. Beginning with the melatonin determinations in biological liquids during the 60's and 70's; and a second stage which began at the end of 70's up until the present date, namely Melatonin secretion endocrinal studies in mental disorders. Apart from this, the comparing of the other hormonal secretion endocrinal studies in mental disorders. Apart from this, the comparing of the other hormonal secretion rhythms such as corticoids with function tests in Hip- Hipof. axis using the Dexamethasone suppression Test (DST). The authors also compare their experimental results with previous bibliography publications. The importance of night levels of Melatonin secretions in some patients with major depressive disorders and with abnormal answers in the DST show a diminishing when compared with another depressive disorders and their normal controls. Lastly the possible pathophysiological implications of melatonin and the pineal gland in the affective disorders are discussed, such as the conceptual form and the use of future studies of chronobiological systems.