This study was initiated due to previous research which linked altered cortisol & melatonin secretions to affective illnesses, & low nightime plasma levels of melatonin to depression. The authors compared the levels of melatonin in the pineal glands of 38 people obtained at autopsy. 19 were suicide victims, & 19 were nonsuicide controls. They found melatoninlevels to be much lower for those who committed suicide during the night. The authors provide a number of possible explanations. (VM)