Physiological neuroprotection by melatonin in a 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson's disease

There is considerable evidence that pharmacological doses of the pineal hormone, melatonin, are neuroprotective in diverse models of neurodegeneration including Parkinson's disease. However, there is limited information about the effects of physiological doses of this hormone in similar models. In this study, rats were chronically treated with melatonin via drinking water following partial 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning in the striatum. The two …