Melatonin profiles and sleep characteristics in boys with fragile X syndrome: a preliminary study.

Abstract

Sleep patterns and endogenous melatonin profiles in 13 fragile X boys between the age of 4.7 and 11.0 years were compared to those of 8 age-matched, normal control boys. Parents recorded sleep patterns on a Sleep Diary Chart for 14 consecutive days. Twelve saliva samples were obtained from 8 fragile X participants and all of the controls over 48 hours for the assessment of salivary melatonin profiles. The results showed greater variability in total sleep time and difficulty in sleep maintenance in fragile X boys compared with the control participants. Nocturnal melatonin production, expressed as both peak level and area under the concentration-time curve between 20:00 h and 08:00 h, were fou..