Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Behavioral Assessments of Spontaneous Locomotion in a Murine MPTP-induced Parkinson's Disease Model

Behavioral Assessments of Spontaneous Locomotion in a Murine MPTP-induced Parkinson's Disease Model

Published on: January 7, 2019

Significant potential of melatonin therapy in Parkinson's disease - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Sadaf Iftikhar¹, Hafiz Muhammad Sameer¹, Zainab¹

¹Department of Neurology, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.

Frontiers in Neurology

|October 26, 2023

Abstract

Objective:

Since its discovery as an antioxidant, melatonin has been increasingly recognized for its therapeutic potential beyond sleep disturbances in neurodegenerative disorders. This study aims to evaluate efficacy of various melatonin doses, treatment durations, and formulations, in alleviating motor symptoms and sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide.

Methods:

PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and other databases were systematically searched to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administrating melatonin to Parkinson's disease patients until June 10th, 2023. Outcomes including Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, were pooled and reported as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analysis was performed using an inverse variance random-effects model in Review Manager 5.4 software. Trial Sequential Analysis was performed to avoid false-positive results from random errors.

Results:

Five RCTs with a total of 155 patients were included. Statistically significant reductions in UPDRS total scores were observed in groups receiving Melatonin ≥10 mg/day (MD = -11.35, 95% CI: -22.35 to -0.35, I² = 0%, p = 0.04) and immediate release formulations (MD = -11.35, 95% CI: -22.35 to -0.35, I² = 0%, p = 0.04). No significant effects on individual UPDRS II, III, and IV scores were observed, regardless of melatonin dosage and treatment duration. Moreover, significant improvements in PSQI scores were observed with only immediate-release melatonin formulations (MD = -2.86, 95% CI: -4.74 to -0.97, I² = 0%, p = 0.003).

Conclusion:

Melatonin ≥10 mg/day for a minimum duration of ≥12 weeks in immediate-release formulations consistently demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in improving motor symptom and sleep disturbances in Parkinson disease. However, further trials are warranted to investigate its impact when initiated early in the disease course to fully explore its true therapeutic potential.

Systematic Review Registration:

Unique identifier: CRD42023427491 (PROSPERO).

Keywords:

Parkinson’s disease melatonin motor symptoms movement disorders sleep disturbances

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Overcoming Challenges in Drosophila Sleep Measurement Using DAM System

Author Spotlight: Overcoming Challenges in Drosophila Sleep Measurement Using DAM System

Published on: October 20, 2023

Controlling Parkinson's Disease With Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation

Controlling Parkinson's Disease With Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation

Published on: July 16, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Parkinson's Disease: Treatment

Parkinson's Disease: Treatment

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), involve the gradual and irreversible destruction of neurons in particular brain areas. These disorders exhibit standard features like proteinopathies, selective vulnerability of some neurons, and an interaction of intrinsic properties, genetics, and environmental influences in neural injury.
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...

Management of Insomnia

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...

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is...

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

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...

Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response

Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response

Circadian rhythms are cyclic changes that are crucial in plasma drug concentrations. Various standard circadian parameters, including core body temperature, heart rate, and other cardiovascular factors, directly impact disease states and the therapeutic response to drug therapy.
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

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...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Design, synthesis and multitarget evaluation of cyclopropyl-appended thiohydantoin derivatives as dual cholinesterase and COX inhibitors with antioxidant activity: a combined experimental and computational study.

Journal of computer-aided molecular design·2026

Collagenofibrotic Glomerulopathy With Concurrent Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal Defect and Anti-Ku Antibody Positivity: A Rare Case.

Cureus·2026

Podoplanin-positive extracellular vesicles in ovarian cancer: linking thrombosis, platelet crosstalk, and cancer stemness - a narrative review.

Annals of medicine and surgery (2012)·2026

Identification of quinoline scaffolds against emerging drug target glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase from Staphylococcus aureus: an integrated in vitro, in silico, and STD-NMR approach.

RSC advances·2026

Trends and disparities in hepatorenal syndrome related mortality among adults ≥15 years in the United States: A retrospective observational study.

Medicine·2026

Exploring the anti-diabetic potential of bis-Schiff bases of ibuprofen: insights into the in vitro, molecular docking and density functional theory analyses.

RSC advances·2026

See all related articles