Cognitive effects of exogenous melatonin administration in elderly persons: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Given that circadian rhythm disruption is associated with impairments in cognitive performance similar to those found in age-related cognitive decline, the authors investigated whether exogenous melatonin administration would improve cognitive functioning in healthy elderly subjects.


METHODS
This double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study assigned 26 healthy elderly subjects to receive either melatonin 1 mg or placebo nightly for 4 weeks. Participants completed a sleep questionnaire and a battery of cognitive tests at baseline and at 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Melatonin administration improved reported morning "restedness" and sleep latency after nocturnal awakening, and also improved scores on the California Verbal Learning Test-interference subtest.


CONCLUSIONS
Melatonin administration at a dose of 1 mg nightly may be effective in improving certain aspects of cognitive functioning and subjective reports of sleep quality in elderly subjects. It may prove to be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of age-related cognitive decline.
Peck
Joel S
JS
University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 1356 Lusitania Street, 4th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
LeGoff
Daniel B
DB
Ahmed
Iqbal
I
Goebert
Deborah
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000975:Antioxidants; D008550:Melatonin