Capturing the circadian rhythms of free-running blind people with 0.5 mg melatonin

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 918; no. 1; pp. 96 - 100
• Main Authors: Lewy, Alfred J, Bauer, Vance K, Hasler, Brant P, Kendall, Adam R, Pires, M.Laura N, Sack, Robert L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 09.11.2001; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Clocks - drug effects; Biological Clocks - physiology; Blindness - complications; Blindness - metabolism; Blindness - physiopathology; Circadian rhythm; Circadian Rhythm - drug effects; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormones and neuropeptides. Regulation; Humans; Hypothalamus. Hypophysis. Epiphysis. Urophysis; Intrinsic period (tau); Male; Melatonin; Melatonin - administration & dosage; Melatonin - adverse effects; Melatonin - blood; Melatonin onset (MO); Middle Aged; Pineal Gland - metabolism; Pineal Gland - physiopathology; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm - drug therapy; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm - etiology; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm - physiopathology; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus - drug effects; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus - metabolism; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Visual Pathways - injuries; Visual Pathways - physiopathology; Intrinsic period (tau); Melatonin; Circadian rhythm; Neural basis of behavior; Melatonin onset (MO); Human; Biological rhythm; Blindness; Pineal hormone

We have recently shown that six of seven totally blind people (who had free-running circadian rhythms with periods longer than 24 h) could be entrained (synchronized) to a nightly dose of 10 mg melatonin. After treatment discontinuation and re-entrainment to the 10 mg dose, we further found in three...