Behaviors and Mental Disorders

All Conditions

Symptoms and General Pathology

Nervous System Diseases

Anxiety Disorders

Depression

Depressive Disorder

Fatigue

Dyssomnias

Parasomnias

Sleep Wake Disorders

Mental Disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Central Nervous System Stimulants

All Drugs and Chemicals

Central Nervous System Depressants

Cardiotonic Agents

Other Dietary Supplements

Methylphenidate

Melatonin

Antioxidants

Protective Agents

Dopamine

Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors

Dopamine Agents

Neurotransmitter Agents

Patients receive Melatonin (called MT) PO QD for 6 weeks, Methylphenidate (called MP) PO BID for 6 weeks, Bright Light Therapy (called BLT) for 30 minutes daily for 6 weeks, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (called CBT) weekly for 6 weeks.

Patients receive placebo Melatonin (called placebo MT) PO QD for 6 weeks, placebo Methylphenidate (called placebo MP) PO BID for 6 weeks, Control Light Therapy (called CLT) for 30 minutes daily for 6 weeks and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (called CBT) weekly for 6 weeks.

Patients receive Bright Light Therapy (called BLT) for 30 minutes daily for 6 weeks, Melatonin (called MT) PO QD for 6 weeks, placebo Methylphenidate (called placebo MP) PO BID for 6 weeks, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (called CBT) weekly for 6 weeks.

Patients receive Control Light Therapy (called CLT) for 30 minutes daily for 6 weeks, placebo Melatonin (called placebo MT) PO QD for 6 weeks, Methylphenidate (called MP) PO BID for 6 weeks, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (called CBT) weekly for 6 weeks.

Placebo for Melatonin

Sriram Yennu, MD

To learn if Cognitive Behavior Therapy (called CBT), combined with either Bright Light Therapy (called BLT), methylphenidate, and/or melatonin, can help improve sleep and other related symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients. This is an investigational study. In this study, BLT, Methylphenidate and Melatonin will be compared to their placebos.

Objectives:

Primary:

To compare the effects of the combination therapy arm with the placebo arm on sleep quality as assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at the end of 6 weeks (primary end point). We hypothesize that there will be a greater maintenance of sleep quality in the combination arm than in the placebo arm after 6 weeks.

Secondary:

To compare the effects of the combination therapy arm with the placebo arm on sleep quality (PSQI) at 3- and 6-months post-intervention. We hypothesize that there will be a greater maintenance of sleep quality in the combination arm than in the placebo arm at 3- and 6-months post intervention.

Secondary:

To compare the effects of the remaining active therapy arms with the placebo and combination arms on sleep quality (PSQI) at all post-intervention assessments. We hypothesize that there will be a greater maintenance of sleep quality in the active arms than in the placebo arm at all post-intervention assessments. Additionally, there will be greater maintenance of sleep quality in the combination arm than in the remaining active arms.

Secondary:

To compare the effects of the active therapy arm and the placebo arm for sleep-wake cycle disturbance (Actigraphy - sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and mean daytime activity). We hypothesize that there w/ill be greater maintenance of sleep-wake cycle (synchronization) in the combination therapy arm.

Secondary:

To determine whether the addition of MP to BLT+MT synergistically maintains sleep quality as measured by change from baseline PSQI. We hypothesize that MP and BLT+MT will synergistically maintain sleep quality.

Exploratory:

To explore the effects of the active therapy arm on psychological symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue), sleep and related symptoms (PROMIS-Sleep), inflammation (C-reactive protein), resting-state cognition (Amsterdam resting-state questionnaire, ARSQ) and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General) and how they vary over time. We hypothesize that there will be more promotion of sleep related symptoms and quality of life in the combination therapy arm than in the placebo, BLT, and Methylphenidate arms.

Exploratory:

To explore changes in brain function and structure (using functional, structural and diffusion-weighted MRI) and changes in resting-state cognition (ARSQ) and sleep symptoms following (a) combination therapy arm (i.e., CBT + BLT + MP + MT); (b) CBT + BLT + MT + placebo (MP); (c) CBT + MP + placebo (control light + MT); and (d) CBT + placebo (control light + MT + MP). We hypothesize that in patients with advanced cancer and sleep disturbances, there will be changes in (a) resting-state brain connectivity within the default-mode network; (b) cortical volume within specific brain areas including bilateral thalamus; and (c) white-matter water diffusion in specific fibers tracts that underline directed functional connectivity, including connectivity between the pulvinar, agranular frontal area and the parietal cortex - following (a-d) therapy arms; and (e) improvements in brain function and structure will be the most robust in combination therapy arm than placebo arm. We further hypothesize that improvements in brain function and structure will be associated with improvements in resting-state cognition and depressive symptoms.

Combination Therapy for Treatment of Sleep Disturbance in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire score on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 (not during the 2 weeks) to 3 (3 or more times a week).

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for placebo for melatonin