Melatonin treatment for circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
We administered 1-3 mg melatonin to 11 patients (eight men, three women, aged 16-46 years) with circadian rhythm sleep disorders; nine with delayed sleep phase syndrome and two with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Sleep logs were recorded throughout the study periods and actigraph and rectal temperature were monitored during treatment periods. Melatonin was administered 1-2 h before the desirable bedtime for expected phase-shifting, or 0.5-1 h before habitual bedtime for gradual advance expecting an hypnotic effect of the melatonin. Melatonin treatments were successful in 6/11 patients. Timing and dose of melatonin administration, together with its pharmacological properties for circadian rhythm sleep disorders, should be further studied.
Okawa
M
M
Department of Psychophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Chiba, Japan.
Uchiyama
M
M
Ozaki
S
S
Shibui
K
K
Kamei
Y
Y
Hayakawa
T
T
Urata
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008550:Melatonin