ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2013
Advances in the research of melatonin in autism spectrum disorders: literature review and new perspectives.
Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
53 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 132 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic Review of Sleep Disturbances and Circadian Sleep Desynchronization in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Toward an Integrative Model of a Self-Reinforcing Loop.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2019Pooled it
- Understanding the Complexity of Sleep Disturbances in ASD: From Mechanisms to Management.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Circadian preference and quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a Brazilian cross-sectional self-reported survey.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Correlation between sleep problems and morning serum melatonin and ferritin levels in Japanese 5-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder.PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences · 2026Article
- Sleep and infant development in the first year.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Desperate for Sleep: Exploring Parental Perceptions of Melatonin Use Among Adolescents With Neurodevelopmental Disorders.Journal for specialists in pediatric nursing : JSPN · 2025Article
- Nanomaterial-enabled drug delivery systems for circadian medicine: bridging direct rhythm modulation and chronotherapy.RSC advances · 2025Review
- Melatonin Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Sleep Regulation, Behavioral Outcomes, and Challenges Across the Lifespan.Molecular neurobiology · 2025Review
- The Pharmacokinetics, Dosage, Preparation Forms, and Efficacy of Orally Administered Melatonin for Non-Organic Sleep Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder During Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- The role of circadian rhythms and sleep in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: New evidence from bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2025Article
- Chronobiology in Paediatric Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Harmonizing Care with Biological Clocks.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- Significance of Melatonin in the Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Disease Management.Molecular neurobiology · 2024Review
- Structural neuroplasticity after sleep loss modifies behavior and requires neurexin and neuroligin.iScience · 2024Article
- Targeting the circadian modulation: novel therapeutic approaches in the management of ASD.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Review
- Article
- Melatonin in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Critical Literature Review.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Using urine FTIR spectra to screen autism spectrum disorder.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Adherence to treatment and parents' perspective about effectiveness of melatonin in children with autism spectrum disorder and sleep disturbances.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2023Article
- Pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies to identify new 5-HTMolecular diversity · 2023Article
- The role of microRNAs in the molecular link between circadian rhythm and autism spectrum disorder.Animal cells and systems · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors at 9 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Abnormalities in melatonin physiology may be involved or closely linked to the pathophysiology and behavioral expression of autistic disorder, given its role in neurodevelopment and reports of sleep-wake rhythm disturbances, decreased nocturnal melatonin production, and beneficial therapeutic effects of melatonin in individuals with autism. In addition, melatonin, as a pineal gland hormone produced from serotonin, is of special interest in autistic disorder given reported alterations in central and peripheral serotonin neurobiology. More specifically, the role of melatonin in the ontogenetic establishment of circadian rhythms and the synchronization of peripheral oscillators opens interesting perspectives to ascertain better the mechanisms underlying the significant relationship found between lower nocturnal melatonin excretion and increased severity of autistic social communication impairments, especially for verbal communication and social imitative play. In this article, first we review the studies on melatonin levels and the treatment studies of melatonin in autistic disorder. Then, we discuss the relationships between melatonin and autistic behavioral impairments with regard to social communication (verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction), and repetitive behaviors or interests with difficulties adapting to change. In conclusion, we emphasize that randomized clinical trials in autism spectrum disorders are warranted to establish potential therapeutic efficacy of melatonin for social communication impairments and stereotyped behaviors or interests.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.