title: Melatonin treatment improves primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a case report.
abstract: We describe the case of a female patient who, at the age of 28, was diagnosed with symptoms of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Glucocorticoid treatment was immediately initiated. The disease and the demyelinating lesions progressed during the following 9 years reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 8.0 (patient essentially restricted to bed, a chair or perambulated in a wheelchair). At this point, the patient began taking melatonin at doses ranging from 50 to 300 mg per day. Melatonin was her only treatment for the next 4 years; during this interval, her EDSS progressively recovered to 6.0 (the person needs intermittent or unilateral constant assistance such as cane, crutch, or brace to walk 100 meters with or without resting). This long-lasting improvement is likely due to melatonin usage since it is related in time and because of its exceptionally long duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Virgen Macarena & Virgen del Rocío University Hospitals, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-González
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Sánchez
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lardone
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cruz-Chamorro
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-López
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carrillo-Vico
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin
keywords: melatonin; multiple sclerosis; primary progressive multiple sclerosis