Bright Light Therapy for Individuals With Dementia

Many older adults with dementia living in long-term care facilities experience depression and agitation, which cause angst and personal suffering. Prior to this research, evidence was inconclusive but indicated that bright light exposure may reduce depression and agitation in long-term care residents with dementia. The purpose of this study was to determine if the degree of improvement in depression and agitation scores over the course of eight weeks was significantly greater in persons with dementia receiving bright light exposure than in persons with dementia receiving placebo light exposure. Sixty individuals participated in the study, with 30 in the bright light group and 30 in the low level light group.

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Key information

Conditions

Dementia Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Depression Dyskinesias Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurocognitive Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Psychomotor Agitation Psychomotor Disorders Signs and Symptoms

Age range

60 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

were age 60 or older; diagnosis of dementia; ophthalmology screening indicating that the individual was able to perceive light and did not have cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or retinal problems; able to sit up and keep eyes open; and not too restless to sit for 30 minutes.

Exclusion criteria

were age 59 or younger; no diagnosis of dementia; presence of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or retinal problems; unable to sit up and keep eyes open; and too restless to sit for 30 minutes.

Treatment and study plan

Bright light

Behavioral

Placebo Light

Behavioral

Primary outcomes

Depressive Symptom Assessment for Older Adults

Time frame: After the eight-week experiment
Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (Frequency)

Time frame: After the eight-week experiment

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Radford University

Other

Collaborators

Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, Inc.
Virginia Center on Aging (ARDRAF)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2013
Primary completion: 2014
Study completion: 2014
First posted: Jun 15, 2016
Registry last updated: Jun 17, 2016

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed