Does Melatonin Cause Memory Loss?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Studies in animals have shown that melatonin may help protect memory rather than cause memory loss. Research using rat models of Alzheimer's disease found that melatonin can lessen memory problems and reduce brain changes linked to memory loss.

Explanation

In studies with rat models of Alzheimer's disease and similar conditions, melatonin was tested to see its impact on memory. Researchers found that when melatonin was given to rats, it helped reduce issues that usually lead to memory loss. Specifically, melatonin reduced the buildup of harmful proteins and helped protect brain cells. These findings suggest that in the animal studies, melatonin did not harm memory; instead, it seemed to offer benefits to memory by stopping or slowing damage that can lead to memory issues. Even though these tests were done on animals and not directly on humans, they tell us that melatonin might be helpful in protecting the brain and memory. Always talk with your doctor before starting any new medicine, as studies in people are needed to understand more about how melatonin affects memory in humans.

(References)

Rudnitskaya EA, Muraleva NA, Maksimova KY, Kiseleva E, Kolosova NG, Stefanova NA. Melatonin Attenuates Memory Impairment, Amyloid-β Accumulation, and Neurodegeneration in a Rat Model of Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2015;47(1):103-16. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150161. PMID: 26402759.
Andrade MK, Souza LC, Azevedo EM, Bail EL, Zanata SM, Andreatini R, Vital MABF. Melatonin reduces β-amyloid accumulation and improves short-term memory in streptozotocin-induced sporadic Alzheimer's disease model. IBRO Neurosci Rep. 2023 Jan 26;14:264-272. doi: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.01.005. PMID: 36926592; PMCID: PMC10011440.
Zakaria R, Ahmad AH, Othman Z. The Potential Role of Melatonin on Memory Function: Lessons from Rodent Studies. Folia Biol (Praha). 2016;62(5):181-187. doi: 10.14712/fb2016062050181. PMID: 27978412.

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Learn more about symptoms

Memory loss

Not sure about the cause of your current symptoms?

Try our AI-based symptom check

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, you can get an free AI-powered report on possible causes

Tips to try:

Provide specific, detailed info about all symptoms you have.
Give accurate information about yourself including current conditions.
Answer all follow-up questions

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor’s Note is a service for informational purposes, and the provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical practice. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.