Citation

Shimomura ET, Briones AJ, Gordon CJ, Warren WS, Jackson GF. Forensic Sci. Int. 2019; 304: e109962.

Affiliation

Division of Forensic Toxicology, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, 115 Purple Heart Drive, Dover AFB, DE, 19902, United States. Electronic address: George.f.jackson16.civ@mail.mil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.109962

PMID

31610334

Abstract

Melatonin (MEL) is a neurohormone in humans produced in a number of locations. Starting with the amino acid tryptophan, MEL is produced through a number of enzymatic steps that includes serotonin as an intermediate compound. The primary production of MEL is in the pineal gland located in the brain. It is directly associated with the the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) located in the hypothalamus. In young and adult humans, the blood levels of MEL are typically in the picogram levels and produced in a cyclic schedule highly regulated by light detected in the retina by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), resulting in production primarily during periods of darkness. During periods of light, MEL levels are typically very low or undetectable. Basal levels of MEL in infants have been observed to be either undetectable or also in the picogram levels, although some medical treatment has involved administration of exogenous MEL resulting in peak levels in the nanogram range. MEL is considered to be well tolerated and there have been limited reports of toxicity. In this case, an infant was found unresponsive and cause of death was ruled as Undetermined. Melatonin was detected in the peripheral blood at a concentration of 1,400ng/mL.

Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

Melatonin; Postmortem; Sudden infant death