Light Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

(KLTO Trial)

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Rebecca Cox

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase < 1

Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine

Disqualifiers: Night shift work, Pregnancy, Nicotine, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 5 weeks

40 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether light therapy can reduce symptoms in young adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who go to bed at 1 a.m. or later. Researchers aim to determine if light therapy not only alleviates OCD symptoms but also helps adjust the body's internal clock. Participants will receive either a higher or lower dose of light therapy to identify which is more effective. Suitable candidates have a primary diagnosis of OCD and consistently go to bed after 1 a.m. As an Early Phase 1 trial, this research seeks to understand how light therapy works in people, offering participants the opportunity to explore this innovative treatment.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, medication status is listed as an exclusion criterion, so it might be important to discuss your current medications with the study team.

What prior data suggests that light therapy is safe for young adults with OCD?

Research has shown that light therapy is generally easy for patients to handle. Studies have found that it can help reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, such as depression and OCD. Reports indicate that people feel better when using light therapy, and it is already used to treat conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Regarding safety, light therapy has been studied for many years, and serious side effects are rare. Most people experience only mild issues, such as eye strain or headaches, which resolve quickly. Since this trial is in an early stage, it primarily focuses on assessing the safety of light therapy for young adults with OCD. While light therapy seems promising, the trial aims to ensure its safety for this specific group. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatment?

Researchers are excited about light therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) because it offers a non-invasive treatment option that differs significantly from traditional methods like medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Light therapy is unique in its approach, using wearable devices that emit varying intensities of light to potentially influence brain activity associated with OCD symptoms. This method could provide a new mechanism of action, offering relief with fewer side effects and providing an alternative for patients who may not respond well to existing treatments.

What evidence suggests that light therapy might be an effective treatment for OCD?

Studies have shown that light therapy can help reduce symptoms of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), especially in individuals with sleep difficulties, such as those who go to bed late. In this trial, participants will receive either higher or lower doses of light therapy in different treatment arms. Participants in earlier research who used active light therapy experienced greater improvements in their OCD symptoms compared to those who received less intense treatments. One case study reported that a patient with both seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and OCD improved after using light therapy. Overall, light therapy appears promising for easing OCD symptoms, particularly when sleep patterns are involved. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Rebecca Cox, PhD

Principal Investigator

Washington University School of Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) who typically go to bed at 1am or later. Participants will use light therapy glasses and track their sleep, while also completing assessments related to their OCD symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria

English speaking

Bedtime 0100 or later

I have been diagnosed with OCD.

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy status

I am currently taking medication.

Regular nicotine or marijuana use

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline

Participants complete self-report measures of OCD 4 times/day for 2 weeks and undergo baseline assessments

2 weeks

Daily self-report measures

Treatment

Participants wear light therapy glasses for 1 hour each morning and track their sleep for 5 weeks

5 weeks

Daily light therapy and sleep tracking

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Light Therapy

Trial Overview The study tests if light therapy can reduce OCD symptoms and adjust the body's internal clock. It may compare different doses of light therapy to see if a higher dose is more effective than a lower one.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Higher dose Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be given wearable light therapy devices that emit a higher light intensity.

Group II: Lower dose Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants will be given wearable light therapy devices that emit a lower light intensity.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Washington University School of Medicine

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,027

Recruited

2,353,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a survey of 34 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), no significant seasonal variations in symptoms were reported compared to the general population.

Bright light therapy was administered to six patients with OCD, but there was no observed response, suggesting it may not be an effective treatment for OCD symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Seasonal variation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: preliminary experience with light treatment. Yoney, TH., Pigott, TA., L'Heureux, F., et al.[2007]

In a study involving 42 patients with major depressive disorder, both bright white-light therapy (2,500 lux) and dim red-light therapy (50 lux) were administered daily for seven days without any significant differences in side effects between the two treatments.

This suggests that light therapy, regardless of intensity, may be a safe option for treating depression without increasing the risk of adverse effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Side-effects of phototherapy in nonseasonal depressive disorder. Volz, HP., Mackert, A., Stieglitz, RD.[2004]

In a study of 30 patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), bright light treatment was found to have limited and mild side effects, with no patients discontinuing treatment due to adverse effects.

While 62% of patients using evening light experienced sleep disturbances and 26% reported mild visual side effects, these issues were generally temporary and resolved with time or reduced light exposure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Side effects induced by bright light treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Labbate, LA., Lafer, B., Thibault, A., et al.[2015]

Light therapy, originally developed for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), has shown efficacy not only for SAD but also for other psychiatric conditions, including nonseasonal major depressive disorder and bipolar depression, particularly in cases resistant to traditional treatments.

Recent studies suggest that light therapy can improve cognitive function in adults with ADHD, enhance motor function in Parkinson's disease, and alleviate rest-activity disturbances in elderly patients with dementia, indicating its broad therapeutic potential.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evolving applications of light therapy. Terman, M.[2022]

A 40-year-old woman with seasonal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experienced complete remission of her symptoms after a 12-day treatment with bright light therapy (3000 lux for 2 hours daily).

The successful treatment occurred without altering her ongoing antidepressant medication (125 mg amitriptyline/day), suggesting that bright light therapy can be an effective adjunct treatment for OCD, particularly in seasonal cases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Successful treatment of seasonal compulsive syndrome with phototherapy]. Höflich, G., Kasper, S., Möller, HJ.[2013]

Light therapy is an effective, evidence-based treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder, influencing circadian rhythms that affect sleep, mood, and cognition, based on 40 years of clinical trials.

For optimal results, light therapy should use devices that provide 10,000 lux of white light for 30-60 minutes in the early morning, with ongoing monitoring to adjust treatment as needed and manage any side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

CME: Light Therapy: Why, What, for Whom, How, and When (And a Postscript about Darkness). Wirz-Justice, A., Terman, AM.[2022]

Phototherapy is a safe and effective treatment for seasonal depressive disorders, showing promise for non-seasonal depression as well, although its exact mechanism of action is still not fully understood.

The review highlights the growing interest in phototherapy for psychiatric disorders and suggests that further research is needed to explore its effects and underlying mechanisms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phototherapy for depressive disorders: a review. Lam, RW., Kripke, DF., Gillin, JC.[2019]

In a meta-analysis of inpatient OCD treatment programs, those with consistent scheduling and a set lights out time showed a significantly higher treatment response rate, with 78% achieving a favorable outcome compared to 0% for those without a set lights out time.

Implementing structured environmental changes, such as regular sleep schedules, may enhance treatment efficacy for patients with OCD, particularly for those with severe symptoms, highlighting the importance of circadian care in psychiatric settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Circadian zeitgebers and treatment outcome in inpatient programs for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): a pilot study. Coles, ME., Stewart, E.[2020]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06720090?term=AREA%5BConditionSearch%5D(OCD)%20AND%20AREA%5BBasicSearch%5D(Obsessive%20Compulsive%20Disorder%20OCD)%20AND%20AREA%5BOverallStatus%5D(RECRUITING)&rank=1

Light Therapy for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether light therapy is effective for reducing symptoms in young adults with OCD and late bedtimes (1am or later).

2. foundation.aasm.org foundation.aasm.org/circadian-medicine-light-intervention-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

A Circadian Medicine Light-Based Intervention for Obsessive ... Participants who received active light therapy reported larger reduction in OCD symptoms than those in the sham condition, with the largest ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10588530/

35 years of light treatment for mental disorders in the ... In a case-study, a patient with SAD and OCD was treated with light therapy resulting in a reduction of symptoms for both conditions [82]. Two ...

4. centerwatch.com centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT06720090/light-therapy-for-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd

Light Therapy for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether light therapy is effective for reducing symptoms in young adults with OCD and late bedtimes ( ...

5. psychiatrist.com psychiatrist.com/pcc/bright-light-therapy-augmentation-for-depression/

Bright Light Therapy as Augmentation of Pharmacotherapy ... Results: Ten studies involving 458 patients showed improvement using bright light therapy augmentation versus antidepressant pharmacotherapy ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10800803/

Circadian light therapy and light dose for depressed young ... Empirical evidence has shown that light therapy (LT) can reduce depression symptoms by stimulating circadian rhythms.

7. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07853890.2023.2269574

Full article: 35 years of light treatment for mental disorders ... In a case-study, a patient with SAD and OCD was treated with light therapy resulting in a reduction of symptoms for both conditions [Citation82]. Two other case ...