Treatment of circadian rhythm disorders

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to the use of a melatonin agonist in the treatment of free running circadian rhythms in patients, including light perception impaired patients, e.g., blind patients, and to methods of measuring circadian rhythm.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of entraining a patient suffering from Non-24 to a 24 hour sleep-wake cycle in which the patient awakens at or near a target wake time following a daily sleep period of approximately 7 to 9 hours, and maintaining said 24 hour sleep-wake cycle said method comprising: treating the patient by orally administering to the patient 20 mg of tasimelteon once daily before a target bedtime. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the patient is totally blind. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the tasimelteon is administered 0.5 to 1.5 hours before the target bedtime. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein treatment is initiated on a day in which the patient's urinary aMT6s acrophase is predicted to be within about 5.5 hours before target wake time and about 2.5 hours after target wake time. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3  wherein treatment is initiated on a day in which the patient's urinary cortisol acrophase is predicted to be within about 5.5 hours before target wake time and about 2.5 hours after target wake time. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: (i) first determining if the patient is also being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, and (ii) if the patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, reducing the dose of the CYP1A2 inhibitor. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6 wherein the CYP1A2 inhibitor is ciprofloxacin, fluvoxamine, or verapamil. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 wherein the CYP1A2 inhibitor is fluvoxamine.