Effects of Bright Light Therapy on Sleep, Cognition, Brain Function, and Neurochemistry in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Abstract
The project has been on hold for much of the last year due to a change of institutions by the PI and pending the transfer of funding to the gaining institution. Data collection for the study is complete and all that remains is to complete data analysis and publication of the findings. Since the previous report, preliminary analyses suggest that six weeks of morning Blue Light Therapy versus the Amber Light Placebo condition produces significant to marginally significant improvement in daytime sleepiness, alertness and vigilance, and some aspects of motor and cognitive functioning in a small sample (n = 32). While further analyses are needed, functional magnetic resonance imaging data suggest that the Blue Light condition was effective in altering brain responses during two demanding attention and working memory tasks, whereas such changes were not evident in the Amber Light Placebo condition. These findings point toward some beneficial effects of the active treatment in reducing daytime sleepiness and sleep-related functional impairments, brain functioning, and brain structure. Completion of the project is pending final transfer of the award to the University of Arizona, which is anticipated to occur sometime in the coming year. A no-cost extension has been requested to allow this project to continue once the transfer is complete.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1007011
Entities
People
- William D. Killgore
Organizations
- McLean Hospital