Citation

Kawamura A, Yoshiike T, Yoshimura A, Koizumi H, Nagao K, Fujii Y, Takami M, Takahashi M, Matsuo M, Yamada N, Kuriyama K. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 2020; 18(2): 101-107.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Japanese Society of Sleep Research, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1007/s41105-019-00248-7

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Bright light (BL) therapy is clinically utilized for treatment of sleep-wake disorders through the manipulation of circadian oscillation. It is also extended to depressive disorders including seasonal affective disorder through emotional regulation. Recently, it has been suggested that BL facilitates memory encoding and consolidation via another psychophysiological mechanism of perceptual information processing in the brain. In particular, BL can help to alleviate stress associated with processing of fear memories. In this study, we explored a potential application of BL for treatment of stress-induced and fear circuitry disorders in patients receiving exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Fourteen patients with panic disorder (PD) or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were enrolled in a single-blind, randomized control trial to assess BL exposure (8000-lux, 30 min, 9 times, 2 weeks apart) compared to sham light (SL) exposure (800-lux, the same duration and frequency), while patients were concurrently receiving exposure-based CBT. The State Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) and the self-rating version of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S) assessed anxiety-related severity scores before and after therapy. After dropouts, 10 participants remained. STAI and MADRS-S scores showed a significantly greater reduction in the BL group than in the SL group. BL may be an effective augmentative therapy when used with exposure-based CBT for PD and PTSD patients. Future trials with larger sample sizes that are adequately statistically powered are required to confirm these preliminary findings. © 2019, Japanese Society of Sleep Research.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; Anxiety; female; male; alcoholism; pilot study; depression; Posttraumatic stress; randomized controlled trial; scoring system; posttraumatic stress disorder; Fear; Cognitive behavioral therapy; comparative study; controlled study; clinical article; rating scale; self report; fear; priority journal; anxiety disorder; sleep disorder; panic; follow up; single blind procedure; developmental disorder; phototherapy; tranquilizing activity; agoraphobia; Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale; Article; seasonal affective disorder; State Trait Anxiety Inventory; light exposure; Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale; DSM-5; antidepressant activity; cognitive behavioral therapy; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Bright light therapy; Panic Disorder Severity Scale