Development of new treatment for sleep disorders in children with neurological diseases

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25515008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 睡眠科学
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: FUKUMIZU Michio 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 脳発達・神経再生研究分野, 研究員 (30593537)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HAYASHI Masaharu 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 脳発達・神経再生研究分野, 分野長 (00280777)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 小児神経疾患 / 睡眠障害 / 重症心身障害 / 発達障害 / メラトニン / 睡眠覚醒リズム / 自律神経機能 / 睡眠評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We carried out a questionnaire survey to investigate the uses of melatonin and ramelteon in Japanese children. Both melatonin and ramelteon were widely prescribed. Melatonin tended to be used without sufficient ethical consideration in Japan, indicating the necessity of melatonin as medicine. Oxidative stress, antioxidant capacities of cells and organs and disturbed melatonin metabolism may be involved in the pediatric neurologic population. From the analysis of diurnal variation of melatonin metabolites, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant power in urine of patients, we believe that the administration of melatonin has the possibility of ameliorating the augmented oxidative stress in neurodegeneration, modulating the melatonin metabolism and the circadian rhythm. We also developed the methods for evaluation of their sleep-wake rhythm and/or sleep autonomic function referring to melatonin metabolite which are necessary for assessment of the efficacy of new treatment methods.

Free Research Field

小児睡眠学