ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neuroendocrine Science
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1534715
Melatonin rhythm disorder is more pronounced in major depressive disorder with Non-Suicidal Self-injury
Provisionally accepted
- 1School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
- 2Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
- 3Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
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Introduction: Disruptions in melatonin (MT) rhythms have been linked to major depressive disorder (MDD) and may be further associated with non-suicidal selfinjury (NSSI). This study investigates whether MDD patients with NSSI exhibit more pronounced MT rhythm disturbances and whether these disruptions correlate with NSSI-related thoughts and the motivation to cease self-injury.The study included 100 participants aged 14-24 years, including 30 healthy controls (HC) and 70 inpatients diagnosed with MDD. The MDD group was further divided into those with NSSI (NSSI group, n=35) and those without NSSI (Non-NSSI group, n=35). Salivary MT levels were measured at six intervals (12 AM, 8 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, and 10 PM) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI) assessed NSSI perception and motivation in the NSSI group.Results: MT levels were significantly lower across all six time points in the NSSI group compared to both the Non-NSSI and HC groups (P<0.05), and MT circadian rhythms were notably absent in the NSSI group. Correlational analysis revealed specific associations between MT levels and NSSI behavior, with MT levels at 1 PM positively correlated with invasive self-harm impulses (r=0.487, P=0.003, 95% CI: 0.141 to 0.834) and MT levels at 8 AM and 11 AM inversely correlated with the desire to stop self-injury (r=-0.427, P=0.010, 95% CI: -0.774 to -0.081; r=0.348, P=0.040, 95% CI: 0.002 to 0.695, respectively).Lower MT levels and disrupted circadian rhythms are associated with NSSI in MDD patients, highlighting a potential link between circadian dysfunction and self-injurious behaviors. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of this association.
Keywords: Non-suicidal self-injury, Melatonin, Circadian Rhythm, Ottawa Self-Injury Scale, Depression
Received: 26 Nov 2024; Accepted: 28 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hu, Zhang, Wang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xulai Zhang, School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui Province, China
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