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Melatonin for treatment of sundowning in elderly persons with dementia - a preliminary study
Cohen-Mansfield J, Garfinkel D, Lipson S.. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 2000-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
This pilot study investigated the impact of melatonin administration as a clinical intervention for improving sleep and alleviating sundowning in 11 elderly nursing home residents who suffer from dementia. Melatonin is a hormone produced and secreted by the pineal gland in response to darkness, which plays a major role in the induction and regulation of sleep. Melatonin production decreases with age. Age-related sleep disorders are frequently associated with disruption of circadian cycle rhythms, and sometimes with 'sundowning'. Sundowning refers to the manifestation of agitation and/or confusion in the evening hours. Agitation has been linked to sleep disorders. Analysis revealed a significant decrease in agitated behaviors in all three shifts, and a significant decrease in daytime sleepiness. There was a nonsignificant decrease in latency (time to fall asleep) during the evening shift and no significant changes were reported in night-time sleep ratings. The results of this study are important, because finding ways of decreasing sundowning in elderly persons may improve their well being, alleviate the burden of the caregivers, and even enable caregiving in a less restrictive environment.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Cohen-Mansfield, J., Garfinkel, D., & Lipson, S. (2000). Melatonin for treatment of sundowning in elderly persons with dementia - a preliminary study. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00068-6
Vancouver
Cohen-Mansfield J, Garfinkel D, Lipson S. Melatonin for treatment of sundowning in elderly persons with dementia - a preliminary study. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. 2000. doi:10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00068-6. PMID: 10989165.
BibTeX
@article{cohenmansfield2000-10989165,
author = {Cohen-Mansfield, J. and Garfinkel, D. and Lipson, S.},
title = {{Melatonin for treatment of sundowning in elderly persons with dementia - a preliminary study}},
journal = {Archives of gerontology and geriatrics},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00068-6},
pmid = {10989165},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00068-6}
}
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Key findings
- Age-related sleep disorders are frequently associated with disruption of circadian cycle rhythms, and sometimes with 'sundowning'.
- Analysis revealed a significant decrease in agitated behaviors in all three shifts, and a significant decrease in daytime sleepiness.
- There was a nonsignificant decrease in latency (time to fall asleep) during the evening shift and no significant changes were reported in night-time sleep ratings.
- The results of this study are important, because finding ways of decreasing sundowning in elderly persons may improve their well being, alleviate the burden of the caregivers, and even enable caregiving in a less restrictive environment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of gerontology and geriatrics) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10989165) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 21 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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