Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland in the brain that regulates the body's circadian rhythm, the internal clock governing the sleep-wake cycle. Its secretion is controlled by light: levels rise in darkness, signaling the body that it is time to sleep, and fall with exposure to light, which is …

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 96× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 3070-2313 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Melatonin is a hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland in the brain that regulates the body's circadian rhythm, the internal clock governing the sleep-wake cycle. Its secretion is controlled by light: levels rise in darkness, signaling the body that it is time to sleep, and fall with exposure to light, which is why melatonin is sometimes called the hormone of darkness. By synchronizing physiological processes to the day-night cycle, melatonin influences sleep timing and quality, body temperature, and aspects of hormonal and immune function, and it also acts as an antioxidant. Supplemental melatonin is widely used to help manage sleep difficulties such as insomnia, jet lag, and shift-work-related disruption, and it is studied for potential roles in mood, aging, and a range of other conditions. Research relevant to this topic in Endocrinology And Hormones and affiliated titles includes work on melatonin and perinatal health in the context of breastfeeding, melatonin in healthy aging and muscle function, and studies of sleep biomarkers and the pineal system, reflecting the journal's coverage of hormone biology and its physiological effects. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to melatonin and endocrine regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2018

The Pineal Hypothesis for Drug Dependence

Crespi FrancescoCorresponding author
Biology, GSK Verona, Italy
Exact topic International Physiology Journal Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2578-8590.ipj-18-2524
2013

Kynurenines and Vitamin B6: Link Between Diabetes and Depression.

Oxenkrug GregoryCorresponding author
Psychiatry and Inflammation Program, Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston MA, USA.
Exact topic Bioinformatics And Diabetes Cited by 31 doi:10.14302/issn.2374-9431.jbd-13-218

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 96 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Melatonin, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Endocrinology And Hormones (ISSN 3070-2313).

Journal editorial board
Kamran Mahmood Ahmed Aziz · Saudi Arabia Xiangwei Xiao · United States Alexander G. Obukhov · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.