Melatonin and Melatonin Agonists as Adjunctive Treatments in Bipolar Disorders.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin and melatonin agonists in treating sleep disorders and preventing relapses in patients with bipolar disorder (BD).
Results Summary
The study found that melatonin and its agonists show promise as adjunctive treatments for sleep abnormalities in BD, potentially preventing relapses and improving metabolic syndrome in antipsychotic-treated patients. Melatonin was well-tolerated with minimal dependence risk.
Population
Patients with bipolar disorder (BD), particularly those with sleep abnormalities or in remission phases.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exogenous melatonin | decrease | primary insomnia | - | - | has demonstrated efficacy in treating | #1 |
Exogenous melatonin | decrease | delayed sleep phase disorder | - | - | has demonstrated efficacy in treating | #2 |
Exogenous melatonin | increase | sleep parameters | - | - | improving | #3 |
Exogenous melatonin | increase | overall sleep quality | - | - | improving | #4 |
Exogenous melatonin | decrease | some psychiatric disorders like autistic spectrum disorders | - | - | has demonstrated efficacy in treating | #5 |
melatonin-agonists | decrease | sleep disorders in BD | patients with BD | - | propose as an adjunctive treatment | #6 |
melatonin-agonists | decrease | relapses | patients with BD | - | possibly prevent | #7 |
melatonin-agonists | decrease | insomnia, sleep delayed latencies and sleep abnormalities in BD | patients with BD | - | treat | #8 |
melatonin-agonists | decrease | future relapses | patients with BD | - | prevent | #9 |
melatonin | decrease | metabolic syndrome | patients treated with antipsychotics | - | adjunctive therapeutic effect might be on preventing | #10 |
melatonin | neutral | - | - | - | is well tolerated | #11 |
melatonin | neutral | - | - | - | has little dependence potential | #12 |
Bipolar disorders (BD) present with abnormalities of circadian rhythmicity and sleep homeostasis, even during phases of remission. These abnormalities are linked to the underlying neurobiology of genetic susceptibility to BD. Melatonin is a pineal gland secreted neurohormone that induces circadian-related and sleep-related responses. Exogenous melatonin has demonstrated efficacy in treating primary insomnia, delayed sleep phase disorder, improving sleep parameters and overall sleep quality, and some psychiatric disorders like autistic spectrum disorders. In order to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin among patients with BD, this comprehensive review emphasizes the abnormal melatonin function in BD, the rationale of melatonin action in BD, the available data about the exogenous administration of melatonin, and melatonin agonists (ramelteon and tasimelteon), and recommendations of use in patients with BD. There is a scientific rationale to propose melatonin-agonists as an adjunctive treatment of mood stabilizers in treating sleep disorders in BD and thus to possibly prevent relapses when administered during remission phases. We emphasized the need to treat insomnia, sleep delayed latencies and sleep abnormalities in BD that are prodromal markers of an emerging mood episode and possible targets to prevent future relapses. An additional interesting adjunctive therapeutic effect might be on preventing metabolic syndrome, particularly in patients treated with antipsychotics. Finally, melatonin is well tolerated and has little dependence potential in contrast to most available sleep medications. Further studies are expected to be able to produce stronger evidence-based therapeutic guidelines to confirm and delineate the routine use of melatonin-agonists in the treatment of BD.