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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07318038

The Use of Rhythmic Light Therapy in Mild Cognitive Impairment

In this within-subjects, crossover study, participants will undergo Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings before, during, and after each of three 1-hour sessions. All participants will experience all three conditions: (1) dual-frequency visual (10 and 40 Hz), (2) single-frequency visual (40 Hz), and (3) non-rhythmic stimulation. EEG spectral power and amplitude coupling will be analyzed to determine whether stimulation-induced increases in alpha-gamma neural synchrony translate to improvements in cognitive performance.

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Key information

Conditions

Mild Cognitive Impairment Cognition Disorders Cognitive Dysfunction Mental Disorders Neurocognitive Disorders

Age range

55 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

New York, 10029, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • History of Mild Cognitive Impairment with a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score between 18 and 25

Exclusion criteria

  • History of epilepsy or photosensitivity
  • Blindness or other obstructive vision conditions
  • retinal diseases
  • presence of another brain disease accounting for their cognitive status

Treatment and study plan

Flickering Light

Device

Red Flickering Light programed to three different visual stimulations

Primary outcomes

  1. EEG-based neural synchrony

    Time frame: 5 minute EEG recording will be done at start, middle and end of each one-hour session, each session separated by one week

    Change in spectral power and amplitude in the alpha and gamma EEG bands. Increase in power and amplitude is indicative of increases in neural synchrony.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Digit Span Task

    Time frame: Completed at start and end of each one-hour session, each session will be separated by one week

    Change in cognition will be measured by the Digit Span Task which is a working memory task. Increase in accuracy and response time indicates improved cognitive performance.

    Digit Span. Memory span is the longest list of items that a person can repeat back in correct order immediately after presentation on 50% of all trials. Items may include words, numbers, or letters. The task is known as digit span when numbers are used. Memory span is a common measure of short-term memory. A digit-span task is used to measure working memory's number storage capacity. The item score is the sum of the scores on the two trials for that item (range=0-2). The total raw score for backwards digit span is the sum of the item scores; maximum backwards digit span total raw score is 16 points. Higher score indicates better health outcomes.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 5, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 25, 2026

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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