Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 81, 2980-2985, Copyright © 1996 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Melatonin regulation in humans with color vision deficiencies

FL Ruberg, DJ Skene, JP Hanifin, MD Rollag, J English, J Arendt and GC Brainard
Department of Neurology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.

Light can induce an acute suppression and/or circadian phase shift of plasma melatonin levels in subjects with normal color vision. It is not known whether this photic suppression requires an integrated response from all photoreceptors or from a specialized subset of photoreceptors. To determine whether normal cone photoreceptor systems are necessary for light-induced melatonin suppression, we tested whether color vision- dificient human subjects experience light-induced melatonin suppression. In 1 study, 14 red-green color vision-deficient subjects and 7 normal controls were exposed to a 90-min, 200-lux, white light stimulus from 0200-0330 h. Melatonin suppression was observed in the controls (t = -7.04; P < 0.001), all color vision-deficient subjects (t = -4.76; P < 0.001), protanopic observers (t = -6.23; P < 0.005), and deuteranopic observers (t = -3.48; P < 0.05), with no significant difference in the magnitude of suppression between groups. In a second study, 6 red/green color vision-deficient males and 6 controls were exposed to a broad band green light stimulus (120 nm with lambda max 507 nm; mean +/- SEM, 305 +/- 10 lux) or darkness from 0030-0100 h. Hourly melatonin profiles (2000-1000 h) were not significantly different in onset, offset, or duration between the two groups. Melatonin suppression was also observed after exposure to the green light source at 0100 h (color vision deficient: t = -2.3; df = 5; P < 0.05; controls: t = -3.61; df = 5; P < 0.01) and 0115 h (color vision deficient: t = -2.74; df = 5; P < 0.05; controls: t = -3.57; df = 5; P < 0.01). These findings suggest that a normal trichromatic visual system is not necessary for light-mediated neuroendocrine regulation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. A. Jasser, J. P. Hanifin, M. D. Rollag, and G. C. Brainard Dim light adaptation attenuates acute melatonin suppression in humans. J Biol Rhythms, October 1, 2006; 21(5): 394 - 404. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. C. Brainard and J. P. Hanifin Photons, Clocks, and Consciousness J Biol Rhythms, August 1, 2005; 20(4): 314 - 325. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. Glickman, J. P. Hanifin, M. D. Rollag, J. Wang, H. Cooper, and G. C. Brainard Inferior Retinal Light Exposure Is More Effective than Superior Retinal Exposure in Suppressing Melatonin in Humans J Biol Rhythms, February 1, 2003; 18(1): 71 - 79. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. C. Brainard, J. P. Hanifin, J. M. Greeson, B. Byrne, G. Glickman, E. Gerner, and M. D. Rollag Action Spectrum for Melatonin Regulation in Humans: Evidence for a Novel Circadian Photoreceptor J. Neurosci., August 15, 2001; 21(16): 6405 - 6412. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Chiquet, O. Dkhissi-Benyahya, and H. M. Cooper Is the Study of Blind Patients Useful for Understanding Light Perception? Arch Ophthalmol, June 1, 1999; 117(6): 848 - 848. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Brainard, M. D. Rollag, and J. P. Hanifin Photic Regulation of Melatonin in Humans: Ocular and Neural Signal Transduction J Biol Rhythms, December 1, 1997; 12(6): 537 - 546. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. L. Shanahan, J. M. Zeitzer, and C. A. Czeisler Resetting the Melatonin Rhythm with Light in Humans J Biol Rhythms, December 1, 1997; 12(6): 556 - 567. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. W. Lockley, D. J. Skene, J. Arendt, H. Tabandeh, A. C. Bird, and R. Defrance Relationship between Melatonin Rhythms and Visual Loss in the Blind J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1997; 82(11): 3763 - 3770. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]