Melatonin as a Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review of Published Evidence

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Traumatology

Background:

• Melatonin (MEL) is a neurohormone with documented neuroprotective properties.
• It effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier and exhibits low toxicity.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) currently lacks FDA-approved therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize existing evidence on melatonin's efficacy following TBI.
• To identify research gaps and propose future research directions.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Database.
• 239 unique articles were screened, with 22 preclinical studies meeting inclusion criteria.
• Data from included studies were systematically summarized and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Preclinical evidence suggests melatonin possesses neuroprotective mechanisms against TBI.
• Reported adverse effects of melatonin were minimal across studies.
• Most studies utilized adult male rats, with limited data on other populations or long-term outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for TBI due to its neuroprotective properties and safety profile.
• Future research should focus on longer-term studies and include diverse animal models (females, different age groups, transgenic strains).
• Further investigation is warranted to fully elucidate melatonin's therapeutic role in TBI management.