Does bright light suppress nocturnal melatonin secretion more in women than men?

Abstract

Sex differences in the sensitivity of the human pineal gland to the suppressant effect of bright light on melatonin synthesis were studied in 6 healthy men and women. Blood samples were collected in two randomly ordered sessions: in one, subjects rested supine in bed, in the dark, from 21.00 to 7.00 h; in the other session, they were exposed to bright light (2,000 lux) from 2.00 to 4.00 h. In the dark condition, no significant differences were observed between men and women in either the timing or the absolute values of melatonin plasma levels, whereas after bright light exposure, the suppression of plasma melatonin was a 40% greater in women than in men. These findings suggest that, in humans, there is a sex difference in the nocturnal sensitivity of the pineal to light.