Human post-mortem pineal enzyme activity.

Abstract

The synthetic enzymes for melatonin production, serotonin-N-acetyltransferase (SNAT) and hydroxy-indole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) were measured in post-mortem pineal organs from eighty-eight men and women. The activity of each enzyme was correlated with age and sex. No difference was seen in either parameter when the maximum or minimum activities were measured in the death time periods of the diurnal rhythm established earlier. However, an annual bimodal rhythm was seen in HIOMT activity with maximal values occurring in January and July and minimum activities in March and October. The SNAT and HIOMT enzymes have previously been shown to be stable when measured in pineal organs held under the usual post-mortem conditions. Pineal HIOMT has also been measured in twenty-one psychotic individuals. Whilst the schizophrenic group showed significantly increased values, the schizophrenic-like group had normal values. The results were not affected by ante-mortem or post-mortem states or by drug treatment. Any clinical interpretation of pineal dysfunction in disease states need not, therefore, take into consideration age, or possible sex, but should be aware of the normal diurnal rhythm as well as the bimodal annual rhythm.