Bright Light Therapy for Individuals With Dementia

Dementia Clinical Trial

Official title:

Bright Light Therapy for Individuals With Dementia

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02800850
• Other study ID #: RadfordU
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 31, 2016
• Last updated: June 16, 2016
• Start date: July 2013
• Est. completion date: July 2014

Study information

• Verified date: June 2016
• Source: Radford University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 71
• Est. completion date: July 2014
• Est. primary completion date: July 2014
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 60 Years and older

Eligibility

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.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Dementia

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Bright Light

• Placebo Light

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (4)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Radford University	Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, Inc., Radford University Waldron Research Award, Virginia Center on Aging (ARDRAF)

References & Publications (1)

Onega LL, Pierce TW, Epperly L. Effect of Bright Light Exposure on Depression and Agitation in Older Adults with Dementia. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2016 Jun 2:1-8. [Epub ahead of print] — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Depressive Symptom Assessment for Older Adults		After the eight-week experiment	No
Primary	Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (Frequency)		After the eight-week experiment	No