Nocturnal melatonin regulation in post-traumatic vegetative state: a possible role for melatonin supplementation?

Circadian rhythms were recently proposed as a measure of physiological state and prognosis in disorders of consciousness (DOC). So far, melatonin regulation was never assessed in vegetative state (VS). Aim of our research was to investigate the nocturnal melatonin levels and light-induced melatonin suppression in a cohort of VS patients. We assessed six consecutive patients (four men, age 33.3 ± 9.3 years) with post-traumatic VS and nine age-matched healthy volunteers (five men, age 34.3 ± 8.9 years) on two consecutive nights: one baseline and one light exposure night. During baseline, night subjects were in bed in a dim (<5 lux) room from 10 pm to 8 am. Blood samples were collected hourly 00:30-3:30 am (00:30 = MLT1; 1:30 = MLT2; 2:30 = MLT3; and 3:30 = MLT4). Identical setting was used for melatonin suppression test night, except for the exposure to monochromatic (470 nm) light from 1:30 to 3:30 am. Plasma melatonin levels were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Magnitude of melatonin suppression was assessed by melatonin suppression score (caMSS) and suppression rate. We searched for group differences in melatonin levels, differences between repeated samples melatonin concentrations during baseline night and light exposure night, and light-induced suppression of melatonin secretion. During baseline night, controls showed an increase of melatonin (MLT4 vs MLT1, p = 0.037), while no significant changes were observed in VS melatonin levels (p = 0.172). Baseline night MLT4 was significantly lower in VS vs controls (p = 0.036). During light-exposure night, controls displayed a significant suppression of melatonin (MLT3 and MLT4 vs MLT2, p = 0.016 and 0.002, respectively), while VS patients displayed no significant changes. The magnitude of light-induced suppression of melatonin levels was statistically different between groups considering control adjusted caMSS (p = 0.000), suppression rate (p = 0.002) and absolute percentage difference (p = 0.012). These results demonstrate for the first time that VS patients present an alteration in night melatonin secretion and reduced light-induced melatonin suppression. These findings confirm previous studies demonstrating a disruption of the circadian system in DOC and suggest a possible benefit from melatonin supplementation in VS.