Background: Melatonin synchronizes central but also peripheral oscillators (fetal adrenal
gland, pancreas, liver, kidney, heart, lung, fat, gut, etc.), allowing temporal organization of …

Many processes in the human body—including brain function—are regulated over the 24-
hour cycle, and there are strong associations between disrupted circadian rhythms (for …

Descriptions of the pineal gland date back to antiquity, but its functions in humans are still
poorly understood. In both diurnal and nocturnal vertebrates, its main product, the hormone …

BACKGROUND Research within the last decade has shown melatonin to have previously-
unsuspected beneficial actions on the peripheral reproductive organs. Likewise, numerous …

Background The aging process is not univocal, both body and brain age. Neurological
disorders are a major cause of disability and death worldwide. According to the Global …

Objective To summarize the role of melatonin and circadian rhythms in determining optimal
female reproductive physiology, especially at the peripheral level. Design Databases were …

Newborns, and especially those delivered preterm, are probably more prone to oxidative
stress than individuals later in life. Also during pregnancy, increased oxygen demand …

Melatonin is secreted during the night in adults but not in infants. It has a hypnotic effect as
well as a relaxing effect on the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. It is plausible that …

Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated rhythms with a period length of
approximately 24 hours. Evidence gathered during the past decade indicates that the …

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are in need of continuous organ
replacement strategies and specialized care, for example because of neurological …