Figure 2.

Effects of Melatonin treatment on dysfunction of neurotransmission in AD. Melatonin can ameliorate the formation of Aβ plaques and NFT, as well as improve the impairments due to these AD hallmarks, including disrupted circadian rhythm, cognition, learning, memory, motor function, mood, sleep and stress response. Melatonin treatment can have beneficial effects on serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, but the exact mechanisms have yet to be determined. Melatonin can also have beneficial effects on the cholinergic system by increasing acetylcholine release and reducing inflammation caused by excessive influx of Ca²⁺ and excessive efflux of Mg²⁺, thereby inhibiting choline acetyltransferase. Abbreviations: Aβ, Amyloid-beta; NFT, neurofibrillary tangle.