Melatonin May Have a Profound Effect on Your Memory, Study Says

People having trouble falling asleep frequently turn to melatonin to help prepare themselves for bed. Some users may wake up feeling groggy, leading one to wonder if it could do more harm than good for our brains while we sleep. On the contrary, studies have shown the memory-enhancing effects of melatonin on animals, and new research out of Japan demonstrates that the benefits happen on a molecular level. 

Scientists at Sophia University in Tokyo were able to pinpoint the microscopic changes that happen in mouse brains when given melatonin or any of its derivatives. They examined the effects of three compounds on memory formation: melatonin; N1-acetyl-5-methoxyquinuramine (AMK), melatonin’s biological metabolite; and ramelteon, a drug that binds and activates the melatonin receptor. 

The formation of both short- and long-term memories requires the phosphorylation, or biochemical addition of phosphate groups to protein structures, of certain memory-related proteins. As such, the researchers explored the effects of protein extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IIα (CaMKIIα), CaMKIIβ, CaMKIV, and the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB).

“Our study aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin, ramelteon, and N1-acetyl-5-methoxyquinuramine (AMK) on the relative phosphorylation levels of memory-related proteins in order to explore candidate signaling pathways associated with the receptor- and nonreceptor-mediated memory-enhancing effects of melatonin," lead author Atsuhiko Chiba said of the study. 

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In the end, they found that melatonin is apparently part of the process of creating long-term memories. 

"Our findings suggest that melatonin is involved in promoting the formation of long-term object recognition memory by modulating the phosphorylation levels of memory-related proteins such as ERK, CaMKIIs, and CREB in both receptor-mediated and nonreceptor-mediated signaling pathways," Chiba concluded. 

The team is hopeful that the results of the study will contribute to the development of new drugs that can improve memory function in people suffering from age-related memory impairment. As the global population grows older, it would certainly be a welcome advancement. For now, it may be time to stock up on melatonin gummies.