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The effect of agomelatine and melatonin on sleep-related eating: a case report
Angela Alexandra Zapp1,2, Eva Caroline Fischer3, Michael Deuschle3
1Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany. angela.zapp@zi-mannheim.de.
Background:
Sleep-related eating may occur in the context of mental illness, sleep disorders, or psychopharmacological treatment. Frequently, sleep-related eating leads to severe weight gain and, so far, there are no treatment options for the condition.
Case Presentation:
We report the case of a 54-year-old white woman with depression, panic disorder, and sleep apnea under treatment with various antidepressants who developed severe sleep-related eating. Her sleep-related eating completely vanished after addition of agomelatine, it reoccurred after cessation of agomelatine, and vanished again after her re-exposure to another melatonergic drug, extended melatonin.
Conclusions:
This case suggests that melatonergic drugs lead to relief from sleep-related eating, even when the condition occurs in the context of physical and mental disorders as well as psychopharmacological treatment.
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