Melatonin and circadian rhythms in autism: Case report

Apr 21, 2017Chronobiology international

Melatonin levels and daily biological rhythms in autism: A case report

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Abstract

Melatonin increased the regularity of circadian activity rhythm by approximately 4.7 times in an individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a non-24-hour rhythm.

The patient initially exhibited a lower than 24-hour activity/rest rhythm before melatonin treatment.
After melatonin administration, the activity/rest rhythm was synchronized to a 24-hour cycle.
Improvements in sleep quality and behavior were observed following melatonin treatment.
Actigraphy effectively characterized the activity/rest rhythm parameters in this ASD individual.

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Among the most co-occurring conditions in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there are sleep disorders which may exacerbate associated behavioral disorders and lead to intensification of existing autistic symptoms. Several studies investigating the use of melatonin in the treatment of sleep disorders in ASD have shown comparative efficiency in sleep with little or no side effects. Here we report a case of ASD with non-24-hour rhythm and the effect of melatonin in circadian parameters by actigraphy. Visual analysis of the first 10 days recorded and the periodogram suggest that this patient showed a non-24-hour rhythm. This ASD subject showed before melatonin administration an activity/rest rhythm lower than 24 hours. The results show that melatonin increased approximately 4.7 times the regularity of circadian activity rhythm and resting staying on average between 00:00 and 06:00 and showed positive effects in improving the quality of sleep and behavior. So, the actigraphy showed an ASD subject with a non-24-hour activity/rest rhythm which changed this rhythm to a 24-hour rhythm after melatonin administration. This result reinforces the prospect of therapy with melatonin for synchronization (increased regularity) of endogenous rhythms and improve sleep quality and hence behavior and indicates the actigraphy as a choice tool to characterize several parameters of the activity/rest rhythm of ASD individuals.

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Melatonin and circadian rhythms in autism: Case report

Abstract

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