The Utility of Melatonin for the Treatment of Sleep Disturbance After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of melatonin supplementation as a treatment option for individuals with sleep disturbance after traumatic brain injury (TBI). DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted in 6 electronic databases (Medline, AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus) from earliest records to April 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they met the following criteria: a) human participants with sleep disturbance after TBI, b) melatonin or melatonergic agent used as an intervention to treat sleep disturbance, and c) outcomes of melatonin administration reported. All TBI severity types (mild, moderate, and severe) were eligible. The initial search retrieved a total of 595 articles, with 9 studies meeting the eligibility criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently extracted data from eligible studies and assessed methodological quality. Extracted data consisted of participant and injury characteristics, melatonin interventional properties, and sleep outcome. Methodological quality was assessed via the Downs and Black checklist. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 251 participants with TBI-induced sleep disturbance (mean age range: 14.0-42.5 years) were included. Melatonin, Circadin (prolonged-release melatonin), or Ramelteon (melatonin receptor agonist) were administered. Dosages and intervention duration ranged from 2 to 10 mg and 3 to 12 weeks, respectively. Eight out of 9 studies reported positive outcomes after melatonin treatment. Significant improvements in subjective sleep quality, objective sleep efficiency, and total sleep time were found with melatonin. Reductions in self-reported fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were also observed with melatonin treatment. No serious adverse events were reported after melatonin administration. CONCLUSION: Melatonin has good tolerability after short-term use and the potential to be a therapeutic agent for those with sleep disturbance after TBI. Melatonin was shown to be beneficial to sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep efficiency. Additional clinically relevant outcomes of improved mental health suggest that melatonin use may be a promising treatment option for individuals experiencing co-occurring disorders of mood and sleep disturbance post-injury.

Effects of Tai Chi on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in older adults with type 2 diabetes: a randomised double-blind sham-exercise-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: a large proportion of adults with type 2 diabetes remain sedentary despite evidence of benefits from exercise for type 2 diabetes. Simplified Yang Tai Chi has been shown in one study to have no effect on insulin sensitivity in older adults. However, a modified Tai Chi form, Tai Chi for Diabetes (TCD) has recently been composed, claiming to improve diabetes control. METHODS: subjects were randomised to Tai Chi or sham exercise, twice a week for 16 weeks. Primary outcomes were insulin resistance 72 h post-exercise (HOMA2-IR), and long-term glucose control (HbA(1c)). RESULTS: thirty-eight subjects (65 +/- 7.8 years, 79% women) were enrolled. Baseline BMI was 32.2 +/- 6.3 kg/m(2), 84% had osteoarthritis, 76% hypertension, and 34% cardiac disease. There was one dropout, no adverse events, and median compliance was 100 (0-100)%. There were no effects of time or group assignment on insulin resistance or HbA(1c) ( -0.07 +/- 0.4% Tai Chi versus 0.12 +/- 0.3% Sham; P = 0.13) at 16 weeks. Improvement in HbA(1c) was related to decreased body fat (r = 0.484, P = 0.004) and improvement in insulin resistance was related to decreased body fat (r = 0.37, P = 0.03) and central adiposity (r = 0.38, P = 0.02), as well as increased fat-free mass (r = -0.46, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: TCD did not improve glucose homeostasis or insulin sensitivity measured 72 h after the last bout of exercise. More intense forms of Tai Chi may be required to produce the body composition changes associated with metabolic benefits in type 2 diabetes.

Health benefits of Tai Chi for older patients with type 2 diabetes: the "Move It For Diabetes study"--a randomized controlled trial.

Older adults with type 2 diabetes have mobility impairment and reduced fitness. This study aimed to test the efficacy of the "Tai Chi for Diabetes" form, developed to address health-related problems in diabetes, including mobility and physical function. Thirty-eight older adults with stable type 2 diabetes were randomized to Tai Chi or sham exercise, twice a week for 16 weeks. Outcomes included gait, balance, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular fitness, self-reported activity and quality of life. Static and dynamic balance index (-5.8 +/- 14.2; p = 0.03) and maximal gait speed (6.2 +/- 11.6%; p = 0.005) improved over time, with no significant group effects. There were no changes in other measures. Non-specific effects of exercise testing and/or study participation such as outcome expectation, socialization, the Hawthorne effect, or unmeasured changes in health status or compliance with medical treatment may underlie the modest improvements in gait and balance observed in this sham-exercise-controlled trial. This Tai Chi form, although developed specifically for diabetes, may not have been of sufficient intensity, frequency, or duration to effect positive changes in many aspects of physiology or health status relevant to older people with diabetes.