Melatonin
Treatment Stabilizes Chronobiologic and Cognitive Symptoms in
Alzheimer’s Disease by Luis I. Brusco, Miguel Márquez & Daniel P.
Cardinali Key
words: Alzheimer's disease;
cognitive impairment; sleep disorders; aging; melatonin's antioxidant
properties
Abstract:
A
retrospective study on the efficacy of melatonin in treatment
of sleep and cognitive disorders of Alzheimer's disease was
conducted in 14 patients (8 females, 6 males), mean ± S.D. age
72 ± 9 years. All patients received 9 mg gelatin melatonin capsules
p.o. daily at bed time for 22 to 35 months. Overall quality
of sleep was assessed from sleep logs filled by the patients
or their caretakers. Neuropsychological evaluation was performed
by Functional Assessment Tool For Alzheimer's Disease (FAST),
Mini-Mental, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS), and
Mattis' and Blessed's scales. At diagnosis, all patients had
cognitive and neuroimaging alterations (cortical and bitemporal
atrophy) compatible with different evolutionary stages of the
disease. At the time of assessment, a significant improvement
of sleep quality was found in all cases examined. There were
no significant differences between initial and present evaluation
in scores of FAST, Mini-Mental, and ADAS, and of Mattis' and
Blessed's scales. Clinically, the patients exhibited lack of
progression of the cognitive and behavioral signs of the disease
during the time they received melatonin. Sundowning was not
longer detectable in 12 patients and persisted attenuated in
2 patients. The results suggest that melatonin may be useful
for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
