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. 2012 Spring;7(2):87-92.

Melatonin effects in methylphenidate treated children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized double blind clinical trial

Mohammad Reza Mohammadi  1 , Seyed Ali Mostafavi, Seyed Ali Keshavarz, Mohammad Reza Eshraghian, Payam Hosseinzadeh, Mohammad Javad Hosseinzadeh-Attar, Seyed Mohammad Ali Kooshesh, Maryam Chamari, Shahin Akhondzadeh
Affiliations

Melatonin effects in methylphenidate treated children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized double blind clinical trial

Mohammad Reza Mohammadi et al. Iran J Psychiatry. 2012 Spring.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine melatonin effects on sleep patterns, symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficiency in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods: Children with age range of 7-12 years who had a combined form of ADHD were randomly divided in to 2 groups according to gender blocks. One group took melatonin (3 or 6mg) combined with methylphenidate (Ritalin) (1mg/kg), and the other group took placebo combined with methylphenidate (1mg/kg). ADHD rating scale and sleep patterns questionnaires were completed. Research hypotheses were assessed at the baseline, the second, fourth and eighth weeks after the treatment.

Results: The mean sleep latency and total sleep disturbance scores were reduced in melatonin group, while the scores increased in the placebo group (p≥0.05). Data analysis, using ANOVA with repeated measures, did not show any statistically significant differences between the two groups in ADHD scores.

Conclusion: Administration of melatonin along with methylphenidate can partially improve symptoms of sleep disturbance. However, it does not seem to reduce attention deficiency and hyperactivity behavior of children with ADHD.

Keywords: Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity Disorder; Child; Melatonin; Methylphenidate; Sleep.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean attention deficiency scores of two trial groups based on ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) rating scale at baseline, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment using ANOVA with repeated measures
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean hyperactivity scores of two trial groups based on ADHD rating scale at baseline, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment using ANOVA with repeated measures.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mean total sleep duration (hour) of two trial group on SDSC sleep questionnaire at baseline, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment using ANOVA with repeated measures.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mean total sleep latency (minute) of two trial groups on SDSC sleep questionnaire at baseline, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment using ANOVA with repeated measures.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mean total sleep score of two trial groups on SDSC sleep questionnaire at baseline, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment using ANOVA with repeated measures.
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