Bright light treatment for high-anxious young adults: a randomized controlled pilot study

Bright light treatment is an effective way to influence circadian rhythms in healthy adults, but previous research with dementia patients has yielded mixed results. The present study presents a primary outcome of the DEM.LIGHT trial, a 24-week randomized controlled trial conducted at nursing homes in Bergen, Norway, investigating the effects of a bright light intervention. The intervention consisted of ceiling-mounted LED panels providing varying illuminance and correlated color temperature throughout the day, with a peak of 1000 lx, 6000 K between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Activity was recorded using actigraphs at baseline and after 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Non-parametric indicators and extended cosine models were used to investigate rest–activity rhythms, and outcomes were analyzed with multi-level regression models. Sixty-one patients with severe dementia (median MMSE = 4) were included. After 16 weeks, the acrophase was advanced from baseline in the intervention group compared to the control group (B = −1.02, 95%; CI = −2.00, −0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups on any other rest–activity measures. When comparing parametric and non-parametric indicators of rest–activity rhythms, 25 out of 35 comparisons were significantly correlated. The present results indicate that ambient bright light treatment did not improve rest–activity rhythms for people with dementia.

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A placebo‐controlled pilot study of a wearable morning bright light treatment for probable PTSD

Depression and Anxiety ◽

10.1002/da.22897 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (7) ◽

pp. 617-624

Author(s):

Alyson K. Zalta ◽

Karyna Bravo ◽

Zerbrina Valdespino‐Hayden ◽

Mark H. Pollack ◽

Helen J. Burgess

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Treatment ◽

Bright Light Treatment

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The effects of bright light treatment via ear canals on quality of sleep and depressive mood among overworked employees: A randomized-controlled clinical trial

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-203282 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 323-329

Author(s):

Tetsu Kinoshita ◽

Takeshi Tanigawa ◽

Koutatsu Maruyama ◽

Kanehisa Morimoto

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Sleep Disorder ◽

Early Treatment ◽

Bright Light ◽

Depressive Mood ◽

Light Treatment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Ear Canals ◽

Observation Period ◽

Bright Light Treatment

BACKGROUND: Many overworked employees need tools to improve their depressive mood or sleep disorder. In Finland, a new device of bright light therapy was developed. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the effect of bright light treatment via ear canals on improving the depressive mood and sleep disorder. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover designed, open-label trial. We examined 27 participants aged 23–52 years, assigned to either Early treatment or Later treatment groups. The Early treatment group used the device on weekdays for the first 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week observation period. The Later treatment group had an observation period for the first 4 weeks, followed by device treatment for the subsequent 4 weeks. Every Friday, the participants were asked to answer questionnaires: A Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), an Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and a Profile of Mood States (POMS) Brief Form. RESULTS: While no significant effect was found on the SDS following treatment (p = 0.16), the AIS showed a significant improvement (p = 0.004), and the scores for the Depression (D) and Vigor (V) of POMs decreased significantly (p = 0.045, p = 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Bright light treatment via ear canals may improve sleep quality and depressive mood.

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Morning Versus Evening Bright Light Treatment at Home to Improve Function and Pain Sensitivity for Women with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnw160 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 116-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Helen J. Burgess ◽

Margaret Park ◽

Jason C. Ong ◽

Najia Shakoor ◽

David A. Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Pain Sensitivity ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Treatment ◽

At Home ◽

Bright Light Treatment

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Bright Light Treatment of Combat-related PTSD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/usab014 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shawn D Youngstedt ◽

Christopher E Kline ◽

Alexandria M Reynolds ◽

Shannon K Crowley ◽

James B Burch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Circadian Rhythm ◽

Treatment Response ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Treatment ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Bright Light Treatment

ABSTRACT Introduction Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent consequence of combat with significant associated morbidity. Available treatments for PTSD have had limitations, suggesting a need to explore alternative or adjuvant treatments. Numerous rationales for bright light treatment of PTSD include its benefits for common PTSD comorbidities of depression, anxiety, and circadian misalignment and its relative ease of use with few side effects. The primary aims of this research were to examine the effects of bright light treatment for combat-related PTSD and associated morbidity. Materials and Methods A randomized controlled trial was performed in N = 69 veterans with PTSD attributable to combat in Afghanistan and/or Iraq. Following a 1-week baseline, participants were randomized to 4 weeks of daily morning bright light treatment (10,000 lux for 30 min/day) or a control treatment (inactivated negative ion generator). At baseline and at the end of treatment, participants were rated blindly on the Clinician Assessed PTSD Scale (CAPS), the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI), and the Hamilton Depression Scale and rated themselves on the PTSD Checklist-Military (PCL-M). Following baseline and each treatment week, participants completed self-reported scales of state anxiety, depression, and sleep, and sleep and the circadian rhythm of wrist activity were also assessed with wrist actigraphy. Results Compared with the control treatment, bright light elicited significantly greater improvements in the CAPS and CGI-Improvement. The bright light also elicited a significantly greater rate of treatment response (reduction ≥33%) for the CAPS (44.1% vs. 8.6%) and PCL-M (33% vs. 6%), but no participant had remission from PTSD. Changes in depression, anxiety, and sleep did not differ between treatments. Improvement in CAPS was significantly correlated with a phase advance of the circadian rhythm of wrist activity. Conclusions The most comprehensive study on the topic to date indicated significant short-term efficacy of bright light treatment on the primary variables (CAPS and CGI) with clinical relevance (i.e., treatment response) in veterans with chronic PTSD who did not report extremely high habitual light exposure. No significant effects were found for anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbance. Further research is warranted, particularly exploration of circadian phase-shifting mechanisms of bright light for PTSD.

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