Pilot Study to Examine Health Effects of Daylight Exposure on Dementia Patients

This study is designed to test the hypothesis that an intervention increasing exposure to daylight indoors will reduce depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms among people living with dementia in long term care facilities.

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Key information

Conditions

Dementia Behavior Behavior Disorders Behavioral Symptoms Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Depression Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Alhambra Dementia Care, Alhambra, California, United States

About this study

Exposure to sufficient daylight indoors is a novel and potentially effective nonpharmacological treatment option for reducing depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms for people living with dementia in long term care facilities. However, there are currently no minimum requirements for daylight access in care facilities. In urban settings, it is common for residents to spend the majority of the day indoors, illuminated by electrical light sources that deliver light with significantly lower intensities and reduced spectrum compared with daylight.

A 12-week pilot study was conducted in 8 dementia care facilities involving (n = 83) participants addressing the hypothesis that an intervention increasing indoor exposure to daylight will reduce depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms. At 4 facilities, staff was enlisted to increase daylight exposure by taking participants to a perimeter room with daylight exposure for socialization in the morning (8:00 - 10:00 AM) each day. At the other 4 facilities, a control group were taken to a similar sized area without daylight for socialization under typical electrical lighting conditions. Outcome measures for depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms were taken at the beginning and end of the 12-week study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Residents were recruited according to the trial inclusion criteria: 1) Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) diagnosis, 2) no physical co-morbidities that precluded participation in the daily group intervention, and 3) a Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score of 10 or higher

Exclusion criteria

physical co-morbidities that precluded participation in the daily group intervention

Treatment and study plan

Daylight Intervention

Other

Staff increased the daylight exposure of participants by taking them to the perimeter zone of a daylit room from 8:00 to 10:00 AM for socialization over a period of 12 weeks. The perimeter zone was defined to be the region of the room within 3 meters from windows. The intervention was administered each day (7 days / week) over the duration of the study.

Primary outcomes

Change in Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD)

Time frame: A CSDD score was taken at the beginning of the 12-week study and once again at the end of the 12-week study.

The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) was used to measure depression. The CSDD is designed for the assessment of depression in older people with dementia who can at least communicate basic needs. The CSDD scale ranges from 0 to 38, with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression. Scores above 10 indicate a probable major depression. Scores above 18 indicate a definite major depression. Scores below 6 are associated with absence of significant depressive symptoms.

Secondary outcomes

Change in Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH)

Time frame: A NPI-NH score was taken at the beginning of the 12-week study and once again at the end of the 12-week study.

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH) was used to measure neuropsychiatric symptomatology. The NPI-NH is a scale designed for assessment of people with dementia residing in extended care facilities. The NPI-NH includes ten behavioral areas (delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, anxiety, elation/euphoria, apathy/indifference, disinhibition, irritability/lability, aberrant motor behavior) and two types of neurovegetative changes (sleep and nighttime behavior disorders, appetite and eating disorders). Each of the 12 areas is scored on a subscale ranging from 0-12, where higher scores indicate greater neuropsychiatric symptomatology. A summary score is obtained from summing all 12 subscale scores. The summary score ranges from 0 - 144, where higher scores indicate greater neuropsychiatric symptomatology.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Southern California

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Pilot Study to Examine the Effects of Indoor Daylight Exposure on Depression and Other Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in People Living With Dementia in Long Term Care Facilities

Important dates

Study start: 2017
Primary completion: 2017
Study completion: 2017
First posted: Mar 30, 2018
Registry last updated: Mar 29, 2019

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.

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