Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster
05:59

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: October 20, 2023

Prolonged-release melatonin for children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Hélène De Leersnyder1, Nava Zisapel, Moshe Laudon

  • 1Department of Genetics, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France. deleers@club-internet.fr

Pediatric Neurology
|July 5, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Prolonged-release melatonin effectively and safely treats sleep disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Long-term use significantly improves sleep onset, duration, quality, and reduces awakenings without serious adverse events.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Previous studies indicated the efficacy and safety of prolonged-release melatonin (PRM) in children with neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders.
  • Sleep disturbances are common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, impacting their quality of life and daily functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of prolonged-release melatonin (PRM) in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • To evaluate the impact of PRM on sleep parameters and mood in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A compassionate-use program in France involved 88 children (42 girls, 46 boys) with neurodevelopmental disorders treated with Circadin (2 mg PRM).
  • Treatment duration ranged from 6 to 72 months, with doses of 4-6 mg.
  • Parental questionnaires assessed sleep onset/offset, sleep quality, and mood.

Main Results:

  • Within 3 months, PRM significantly reduced sleep latency by 44.0% (P < 0.001).
  • Sleep duration increased by 10.1% (P < 0.001), and the number of awakenings decreased by 75% (P < 0.001).
  • Parent-reported sleep quality improved by 75% (P < 0.001) compared to baseline. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

  • Prolonged-release melatonin (PRM) is a safe and effective long-term therapy for sleep disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • PRM demonstrates significant improvements in multiple sleep parameters and overall sleep quality.
  • The treatment is well-tolerated, with no reported serious adverse events or comorbidities.

More Related Videos

Electroretinogram Recording for Infants and Children under Anesthesia to Achieve Optimal Dark Adaptation and International Standards08:38

Electroretinogram Recording for Infants and Children under Anesthesia to Achieve Optimal Dark Adaptation and International Standards

Published on: September 3, 2020

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares often...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
Narcolepsy01:07

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.
Long-term Depression01:05

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.