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Phototransduction for human melatonin suppression
Author(s) -
Rea Mark S.,
Bullough John D.,
Figueiro Mariana G.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-079x.2002.01881.x
Subject(s) - melatonin , pineal gland , neuroanatomy , neuroscience , visual phototransduction , biology , circannual rhythm , melanopsin , opsin , neurophysiology , circadian rhythm , retina , retinal , photopigment , biochemistry , rhodopsin
Human adult males were exposed to combinations of two illuminances and two broadband spectral power distributions over the course of four night‐time sessions. Results showed that melatonin suppression is dominated by short visible wavelengths (420–520 nm), consistent with recently published studies. Although the authors of these recent studies suggest that a novel opsin underlies melatonin suppression, the present paper offers a more conservative interpretation of the data based on what is known about existing photoreceptors and associated neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.