Bright Light: A Novel Treatment for Anxiety

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Depression; Anxiety; Sleep
• Interventions: Device: Litebook Bright Light Box; Device: Litebook inactivated negation ion generator (the placebo)

• Registration Number: NCT01064700
• Lead Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Brief Summary

The primary aim of this research was to examine the influence of bright light on anxiety in high-anxious young adults. In an acute exposure study, participants were randomly assigned to 45 min of either (1) bright light (3,000 lux) or (2) a placebo inactivated negative ion generator. Treatments were initiated ≤1 hr after awakening. At 10 min before and 30 min after the treatments, state anxiety, mood, and blood pressure were assessed.

Following the acute exposure study, participants performed a 5-week study. Following a a 1-week baseline, participants were randomly assigned to four weeks of daily exposure to either (1) bright light (45 min/day; 3,000 lux) or (2) placebo inactivated negative ion generator, which were initiated ≤1 hr after awakening. Before and after the experiment, clinical ratings were conducted with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the Hamilton Depression Scale, and the Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI). Following baseline, and following each week of treatment, blood pressure, as well as questionnaires for state anxiety, depression, mood, sleep, and side effects were assessed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2006-10
• Primary Completion: 2007-12
• Study Completion: 2007-12
• Study First Submitted: 2010-02-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-02-05
• Study First Posted: 2010-02-08
• Status Verified: 2021-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-04-26
• Last Update Posted: 2021-04-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 33

Inclusion Criteria

• Having a level of trait anxiety [Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y1)]{23642} that was ≥ the 75th percentile for their age (i.e., ≥ 46 and ≥ 44 for women and men, respectively)

Exclusion Criteria

• Current treatment for anxiety or depression;
• History of bipolar disorder, mania, or psychotic disorders;
• History of winter depression, which might bias towards positive response to light;
• Hypertension;
• Ophthalmic abnormalities; and
• Usual exposure to high levels of light such that the intervention would add little to usual exposure.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Experimental Intervention	Litebook Bright Light Box	Randomized exposure to the 4-week experimental treatments.
Experimental Intervention	Litebook inactivated negation ion generator (the placebo)	Randomized exposure to the 4-week experimental treatments.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hamilton Anxiety	5 weeks	Hamilton Anxiety Questionnaire
Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory	5 weeks	state anxiety questionnaire

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Beck Depression Inventory	5 weeks	self-report depression questionnaire
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory	5 weeks	PSQI, a common sleep quality questionnaire

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chronobiology Lab, University of South Carolina; 🇺🇸 Columbia, South Carolina, United States