Clinical impact of melatonin on breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy; effects on cognition, sleep and depressive symptoms: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether 20mg of melatonin could reduce cognitive impairment side effects, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances in women undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Results Summary
Melatonin improved executive function, episodic memory, verbal fluency, and was associated with better sleep quality and reduced depressive symptoms, suggesting a neuroprotective effect during chemotherapy.
Population
Thirty-six women undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Effective Dosage
20mg of melatonin before and during the first cycle of chemotherapy.
Duration
10 days.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20mg of melatonin before and during the first cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer | decrease | side effects associated with cognitive impairment | women with breast cancer | - | reduced | #1 |
melatonin | increase | executive function on TMT scores | women with breast cancer | - | improved | #2 |
melatonin | increase | episodic memory (immediate and delayed) and recognition on RAVLT | women with breast cancer | - | enhanced | #3 |
melatonin | increase | verbal fluency in the orthographic COWAT | women with breast cancer | - | increased | #4 |
- | decrease | TMT-A-B(A-B) | women with breast cancer | - | negatively correlated | #5 |
- | decrease | changes in TrkB and BDNF | women with breast cancer | - | inversely associated | #6 |
melatonin | decrease | adverse effects of ACBC on cognitive function, sleep quality and depressive symptoms | women with breast cancer | - | neuroprotective effect | #7 |
This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial tested the hypothesis that 20mg of melatonin before and during the first cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer (ACBC) reduced the side effects associated with cognitive impairment. We evaluated the effects of melatonin on cognition, depressive symptoms and sleep quality, and whether these effects were related to serum levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin kinase B (TrkB). Thirty-six women were randomly assigned to receive melatonin or placebo for 10 days. To evaluate cognitive performance, we used the Trail-Making-Test Parts A and B (A-B), Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) and an inhibitory task type Go / No-Go. Our results revealed that melatonin improved executive function on TMT scores, enhanced episodic memory (immediate and delayed) and recognition on RAVLT, and increased verbal fluency in the orthographic COWAT. The TMT-A-B(A-B) were negatively correlated with baseline levels of TrkB and BDNF, respectively. At the end of treatment, changes in TrkB and BDNF were inversely associated with depressive symptoms and sleep quality, but not with the TMT scores. These results suggest a neuroprotective effect of melatonin to counteract the adverse effects of ACBC on cognitive function, sleep quality and depressive symptoms.