Dose-response relationship between light irradiance and the suppression of plasma melatonin in human volunteers

George C. Brainard, Alfred J. Lewy, Michael Menaker, Richard H. Fredrickson, L. Stephen Miller, Richard G. Weleber, Vincent Cassone, David Hudson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

204 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study tested the capacity of different irradiances of monochromatic light to reduce plasma melatonin in normal humans. Six healthy male volunteers, 24-34 years old, were exposed to 0.01, 0.3, 1.6,5, or 13 μW/cm2 of 509 nm monochromatic light for 1 h during the night on separate occasions. Light irradiance depressed plasma melatonin in a dose-response pattern. The data indicate that the mean threshold irradiance for suppressing melatonin is between 1.6 and 5μW/cm2. Individual variations in threshold responses to monochromatic light were observed among the volunteers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)212-218
Number of pages7
JournalBrain Research
Volume454
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 28 1988

Funding

FundersFunder number
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentR01HD013162

    Keywords

    • Circadian
    • Light
    • Melatonin
    • Pineal
    • Wavelength

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Neuroscience
    • Molecular Biology
    • Clinical Neurology
    • Developmental Biology

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