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Review
. 2023 Mar 2;24(5):4803.
doi: 10.3390/ijms24054803.

Benefits of the Neurogenic Potential of Melatonin for Treating Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Yaiza Potes  1   2   3 , Cristina Cachán-Vega  1   2 , Eduardo Antuña  1   2 , Claudia García-González  1   2 , Nerea Menéndez-Coto  1   2 , Jose Antonio Boga  2 , José Gutiérrez-Rodríguez  2 , Manuel Bermúdez  2 , Verónica Sierra  4 , Ignacio Vega-Naredo  1   2   3 , Ana Coto-Montes  1   2   3 , Beatriz Caballero  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Benefits of the Neurogenic Potential of Melatonin for Treating Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Yaiza Potes et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

There are several neurological diseases under which processes related to adult brain neurogenesis, such cell proliferation, neural differentiation and neuronal maturation, are affected. Melatonin can exert a relevant benefit for treating neurological disorders, given its well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as its pro-survival effects. In addition, melatonin is able to modulate cell proliferation and neural differentiation processes in neural stem/progenitor cells while improving neuronal maturation of neural precursor cells and newly created postmitotic neurons. Thus, melatonin shows relevant pro-neurogenic properties that may have benefits for neurological conditions associated with impairments in adult brain neurogenesis. For instance, the anti-aging properties of melatonin seem to be linked to its neurogenic properties. Modulation of neurogenesis by melatonin is beneficial under conditions of stress, anxiety and depression as well as for the ischemic brain or after a brain stroke. Pro-neurogenic actions of melatonin may also be beneficial for treating dementias, after a traumatic brain injury, and under conditions of epilepsy, schizophrenia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Melatonin may represent a pro-neurogenic treatment effective for retarding the progression of neuropathology associated with Down syndrome. Finally, more studies are necessary to elucidate the benefits of melatonin treatments under brain disorders related to impairments in glucose and insulin homeostasis.

Keywords: adult hippocampal neurogenesis; melatonin; neural stem cells; neurodegeneration; neurological disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Melatonin’s pleiotropic actions on physiological processes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Some of mechanisms involved in the neurogenic potential of melatonin. AkT, protein kinase B; Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Ca2+/CaMKII, calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinases; GDNF, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor; Nrf-2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinases; PI3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinase; TrkB, tropomycin-receptor kinase B.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Melatonin may positively impact several neurological outcomes by correcting impairments that affect neurogenesis in the adult brain under different neuropathological conditions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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