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Current Research Study

It is known that many blind children and adults have difficulty sleeping. We know that this is often due to abnormalities in the body's internal clock, located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The body clocks of sighted people are reset every day by the daily rising and setting of the sun. Natural sunlight is important for keeping the natural body rhythms of most sighted people on a 24-hour schedule. Some blind people may have abnormally timed rhythms because they have little or no light perception. These individuals sometimes have natural body rhythms that free-run, meaning that their natural body rhythms drift each day, which can cause sleep and activity problems.This is similar to the jet lag that some people get when they travel.

The purpose of this study is to identify abnormal natural body rhythms in blind children and young adults and to determine if these rhythms affect sleep quality and social/academic functioning.

 
Research Study Opportunity

 APPROVED: Aug 9,2006


Topic: Research Study of Melatonin Rhythms in Blind Individuals

The Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is seeking blind individuals with no light perception to screen for participation in one of our two research studies. The common goal of the studies is to investigate the hormone melatonin and its potential benefits as a treatment for the nighttime sleep difficulties and daytime sleepiness frequently experienced by blind individuals. Study #1029 includes blind individuals ages 21 to 100 years, and study #0194 includes blind individuals ages 55 to 100 years.

The studies require frequent blood and/or saliva collection periods, which will usually occur at the OHSU General Clinical Research Center (GCRC). Most collection periods will last for 26 hours, and they will usually be about 2 to 4 weeks apart. Although no specific time commitment will be required, participants may be invited to continue collections for years. Both studies may require the participants to take a daily capsule of either melatonin or placebo. All test are performed at no charge to the participants. Participants will be compensated for each blood/saliva collection, and transportation will be provided free of charge. For more information, please call Jen at 503-418-4987.

OHSU IRB #1029
protocol approved: 02-17-2006

OHSU IRB #0194
protocol approved: 09-01-2005

 
 
Bibliography

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2. Lewy A., Lefler B., Yuhas K., Hasler B., Bernert R. and Emens J. (2004) The "sweet spot" for the plasma dim light melatonin onset for winter depressives treated with low-dose daytime melatonin: support for the phase shift hypothesis (PSH). Neuropsychopharmacology 29(1):S103-S104.
3. Emens J.S., Lewy A.J., Lefler B.J. and Sack R.L. (2005) Relative coordination to unknown “weak zeitgebers” in free-running blind individuals. J. Biol. Rhyth. 20(2):159-167.
4. Emens J., Lewy A.J., Lefler B.J., Yuhas K., Koenig A.R., Johnson K.P. and Giger P.T. (2005) Relative coordination to unknown “weak zeitgebers” influences lowest entraining dose of exogenous melatonin. Sleep (Abstract Supplement) 28:A69.
5. Lewy A., Emens J., Lefler B. and Bauer V. (2005) In winter depression (SAD), the sweet spot for the 10 pg/ml plasma dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) is six hours before mid-sleep. Neuropsychopharmacology 30(1):S62-S63.
6. Lewy A.J., Emens J.S., Lefler B.J., Yuhas K. and Jackman A.R. (2005) Melatonin entrains free-running blind people according to a physiological dose response curve. Chronobiol. Int. 22(6):1093-1106.
7. Lewy A., Emens J., Jackman A. and Yuhas K. (2006) Circadian uses of melatonin in humans. Chronobiology Int. 23(1-2): 403-412.
8. Lewy A.J., Lefler B.J. Emens, J.S. and Bauer V.K. (2006). The circadian basis of winter depression. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sciences 103(19): 7414-7419.
9. Lewy, A., Arntz, D. L., Rough, J. N., Johnson, K. P., Emens, J. S., Kinzie, M. J., Songer, J. B., Yuhas, K., Brick, C. and Bussell, C. A. (2006). Developmental aspects of entrained vs. free-running circadian rhythms. Neuropsychopharmacology (Abstract Supplement) 31(12): S81-2.