title: Capturing the circadian rhythms of free-running blind people with 0.5 mg melatonin.
abstract: We have recently shown that six of seven totally blind people (who had free-running circadian rhythms with periods longer than 24 h) could be entrained (synchronized) to a nightly dose of 10 mg melatonin. After treatment discontinuation and re-entrainment to the 10 mg dose, we further found in three of these subjects that the dose could be gradually reduced to 0.5 mg without loss of effect. The question then arose: can a de novo (starting) dose of 0.5 mg initially capture free-running rhythms? Following withdrawal of the stepped-down 0.5 mg dose and consequent release into a free-run, the same three individuals were given 0.5 mg of melatonin de novo. All entrained within a few weeks.
authors.affiliation: Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201-3098, USA. lewy@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lewy
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hasler
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001766:Blindness / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin