PROPRIEDADES DA MELATONINA COMO FATOR DE NEUROPROTEÇÃO EM DOENÇAS NEURODEGENERATIVAS

Abstract

The pineal gland synthesizes melatonin which is classified as non-steroidal hormone in the pinealocytes, when receives stimuli from the retina and is released in the brain ventricles is carried by cerebrospinal fluid throughout the central nervous system, providing neuroprotective resulting from their antiapoptotic properties, antioxidant and stimulant of antioxidants enzymes. Some studies show that melatonin levels decay with againg and it is precisely at this stage of life that arise neurodegenerative pathologies. Index Terms - Alzheimer’s disease, melatonin, neurodegenerative disease, neuroprotective, Parkinson’s disease.