Is There a Role for Melatonin in Treating Children and Teens with Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms? :

The role of melatonin as a sleep aid is probably familiar to all of us, but what about the potential neuroprotective effects of this hormone for cognitive functioning after a concussion? That was the question that Barlow et al (10.1542/peds.2019-2812) studied. The authors conducted a randomized double-blind trial of two different doses of melatonin (3mg or 10 mg versus placebo) administered to 99 children ranging from 8 to 18 years of age. So did melatonin make a difference? Unfortunately, in this study, it did not. The authors provide explanation as to why their trial did not result in a positive outcome. Have you tried giving your patients melatonin for PCCS? If so, did you find your results differ from those reported in Dr. Barlow et al study? We welcome your comments via response to this blog, our website, or our Facebook or Twitter pages either way. You’ll do anything but fall asleep reading this interesting study and probably not recommending melatonin for PCCS, should your patients or their caregivers ask you about it.