In this report current data is reviewed indicating that melatonin, the main hormone secreted by the pineal gland at night, participates in sleep regulation in humans. Evidence supporting this role relies on findings that abnormal melatonin secretion, induced by a variety of commonly used drugs, and in clinical disorders of the nervous system, are associated with sleep disturbances, and that melatonin has beneficial sleep-inducing effects in elderly melatonin-deficient insomniacs, and in children with sleep disorders. The time of melatonin administration, rather than the pharmacological dose, is a crucial factor regarding its potency as a sleep-inducing agent. Possible operating mechanisms explaining melatonin hypnotic effects are discussed.

中文翻译：

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外源褪黑激素给药的睡眠诱导作用。

在本报告中，对当前数据进行了审查，表明褪黑激素是夜间由松果体分泌的主要激素，它参与人类的睡眠调节。支持该作用的证据依赖于以下发现：多种常用药物诱发的褪黑激素分泌异常以及神经系统的临床疾病与睡眠障碍有关，褪黑激素在老年褪黑激素缺乏症中具有有益的诱导睡眠作用失眠症以及患有睡眠障碍的儿童。关于褪黑激素作为睡眠诱导剂的效力，褪黑激素的给药时间而不是药理剂量是至关重要的因素。讨论了解释褪黑激素催眠作用的可能的操作机制。