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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Melatonin effects in methylphenidate treated children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized

Mohammad Reza Mohammadi1, Seyed Ali Mostafavi, Seyed Ali Keshavarz

  • 1Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Iranian Journal of Psychiatry
|September 7, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Melatonin supplementation, when combined with methylphenidate, can improve sleep disturbances in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, it did not show significant effects on hyperactivity or attention deficits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Sleep disturbances are frequently observed in children with ADHD, potentially exacerbating core symptoms.
  • Methylphenidate is a common stimulant medication for ADHD, but its effects on sleep can be variable.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of melatonin as an adjunct therapy for improving sleep patterns in children with ADHD.
  • To assess the impact of melatonin on hyperactivity and attention deficits in pediatric ADHD patients.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial was conducted with children aged 7-12 years diagnosed with combined-type ADHD.
  • Participants received either melatonin (3 or 6mg) plus methylphenidate or a placebo plus methylphenidate.
  • Sleep patterns and ADHD symptoms were evaluated using validated questionnaires and rating scales over an 8-week period.

Main Results:

  • Children treated with melatonin showed reduced sleep latency and total sleep disturbance scores compared to the placebo group.
  • No statistically significant differences in ADHD symptom scores (hyperactivity and attention deficiency) were observed between the melatonin and placebo groups.
  • ANOVA with repeated measures indicated no significant improvement in ADHD-related behaviors with melatonin co-administration.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin, when administered with methylphenidate, offers partial improvement for sleep disturbances in children with ADHD.
  • Current evidence suggests melatonin does not significantly alleviate the core symptoms of attention deficiency and hyperactivity in this population.
  • Further research may explore optimal dosing or specific sleep phenotypes that benefit most from melatonin intervention.
Abstract

Keywords:
Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity DisorderChildMelatoninMethylphenidateSleep

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