Abstract
Forcing rats to swim during darkness when pineal NAT activity and melatonin levels are high caused a marked and rapid reduction in the pineal melatonin content without affecting the activity of the acetylating enzyme. If rats were removed from the water after swimming for 15 min high nocturnal melatonin levels were restored within 105 min after swimming onset. Conversely, if rats swam continually for 105 min pineal melatonin levels remain depressed for the entire period. The drop in pineal melatonin, without a commensurate reduction in NAT activity, may be more related to the exercise of swimming rather than to the stress associated with this activity.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81-89 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Neuroendocrinology Letters |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1988 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Clinical Neurology
- Neurology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Physiology (medical)
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Medicine (miscellaneous)