{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T12:42:42Z","timestamp":1777898562069,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"S. Karger AG","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,9]],"date-time":"2008-12-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1228780800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/pages\/terms-and-conditions"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,9]],"date-time":"2008-12-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1228780800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/pages\/terms-and-conditions"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Horm Res"],"abstract":"<jats:p>To delineate the development of melatonin (MLT) production during childhood, we measured the excretion of MLT and 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate (MLTS) in the urine of children (n = 134) from the 26th week of gestation until the age of 20 years. MLTS excretion showed a diphasic pattern with declining values in preterm babies with lowest values around term. After birth, the values remained low for the first 6 months of life. The highest values were reached between 4 and 7 years of age with a smooth but steady decline thereafter. A night-day difference was not detectable before the age of 6 months; the greatest night-day variations occurred at the time of the highest MLTS excretions. The MLT values showed an identical pattern but with amounts 1,000 times smaller; the ratio of MLTS to MLT increased from 40:1 in preterm babies to 900:1 in prepubertal children. In summary, the MLT\/MLTS excretion exhibits the highest activity with respect to total secretory capacities as well as night-day differences at the time of gonadal quiescence during childhood. The strong inverse correlation of MLT and MLTS excretion with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal activity points to a causal relationship between pineal gland activity and pubertal development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1159\/000185442","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,15]],"date-time":"2008-12-15T06:03:14Z","timestamp":1229320994000},"page":"97-101","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Melatonin and 6-Hydroxymelatonin Sulfate Excretion Is Inversely Correlated with Gonadal Development in Children"],"prefix":"10.1159","author":[{"given":"J.C.","family":"Commentz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"H.","family":"Uhlig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"A.","family":"Henke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"H.H.","family":"Hellwege","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"R.P.","family":"Willig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"127","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,9]]},"container-title":["Hormone Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1159\/000185442","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T09:34:25Z","timestamp":1777628065000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article\/doi\/10.1159\/000185442"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,9]]},"references-count":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1159\/000185442","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0301-0163","1423-0046"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0301-0163","type":"print"},{"value":"1423-0046","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2008,12,9]]}}}