Light Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

Overseen By Sara Penuela, PhD student

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Delaware

Disqualifiers: Psychiatric disorder, Cancer, Stroke, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 20

Duration: 6 weeks

20 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The study looks to investigate the effects that light therapy delivered to the frontal cortex could have on Parkinson's disease related symptoms ( both cognitive and motor). The therapy is a non invasive technique that deliverers low level wavelength light to the front part of the head for 12 minutes. for this study the therapy will be done 3 times a week for 6 weeks. To measure the potential effects on the therapy in Parkinson symptoms, we will do a set of cognitive and motor test before and after the intervention to measure any changes as well as control for any potential markers such as age, sex, disease level, medication and exercise.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

Yes, you will need to stop taking your Parkinson's disease medication for certain assessments in the trial.

Is light therapy safe for humans?

Research shows that light therapy is generally safe for humans, with no reported complications in studies involving Parkinson's disease patients. It can be used alongside drug therapy and may even reduce some drug-related side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does light therapy differ from other treatments for Parkinson's disease?

Light therapy is unique because it is a non-drug treatment that uses light exposure to improve both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as depression and sleep disturbances. Unlike traditional treatments that focus on replacing dopamine, light therapy may work by influencing the circadian system and has fewer side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Light Therapy for Parkinson's Disease?

Research shows that Light Therapy can significantly improve both movement and non-movement symptoms in Parkinson's patients, such as better motor function, reduced depression, and improved sleep. Studies also suggest that Light Therapy may help slow the progression of the disease when used alongside traditional treatments. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who can walk unassisted and consent to participate. It excludes those with recent head injuries, non-primary or atypical parkinsonism, deep brain stimulation devices, psychiatric disorders, cancer history, photosensitivity, or other movement/neurological conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Exclusion Criteria

I have had a concussion or injury to my face, neck, or head in the last 6 months.

I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but it's not the main type or might be a different parkinsonian disorder.

I am unable to give consent by myself.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-intervention Assessment

Cognitive and motor tests are conducted to establish baseline measures before the intervention

1 hour

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive light therapy 3 times a week for 6 weeks

6 weeks

18 visits (in-person)

Post-intervention Assessment

Cognitive and motor tests are conducted to measure changes after the intervention

1 hour

1 visit (in-person)

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 light therapy on the frontal cortex to see if it improves cognitive and motor symptoms in Parkinson's patients. Participants will receive a placebo or red light treatment three times weekly for six weeks while being monitored through cognitive and motor tests.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Light therapy grpup Active Control 1 Intervention

Group II: placebo light therapy Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Delaware

Lead Sponsor

Trials

167

Recruited

25,700+

NeuroThera

Industry Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

110+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Light therapy (LT) significantly improves motor function in patients with Parkinson's disease, with a mean difference of -4.68 in motor scores compared to controls, indicating its potential as an effective non-pharmacological treatment.

LT also positively impacts non-motor symptoms, showing significant reductions in depression and improvements in sleep disturbances, suggesting a broad therapeutic benefit for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and Safety of Light Therapy as a Home Treatment for Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Sun, W., Yan, J., Wu, J., et al.[2022]

A retrospective study involving 129 Parkinson's disease patients indicated that light therapy, when combined with controlled dopamine replacement therapy, can lead to significant improvements in motor and non-motor symptoms, especially in patients who adhered to the treatment regimen.

Patients who consistently followed the light therapy showed better outcomes and a reduced need for medication, resulting in fewer side effects compared to those who were less compliant or discontinued treatment, suggesting that light therapy may help slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A historical justification for and retrospective analysis of the systematic application of light therapy in Parkinson's disease. Willis, GL., Moore, C., Armstrong, SM.[2022]

In a controlled trial involving patients with Parkinson's disease who had previously used bright light therapy (BT) for 4 months to 5 years, those who continued with polychromatic light therapy showed significant improvements in motor and secondary symptoms, as measured by various scales including the MDSUPDRS and PDQ-39.

Patients who switched to red light or discontinued BT experienced deterioration in their symptoms, highlighting the efficacy of polychromatic light therapy in managing both primary and secondary symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Polychromatic Light Exposure as a Therapeutic in the Treatment and Management of Parkinson's Disease: A Controlled Exploratory Trial. Willis, GL., Boda, J., Freelance, CB.[2020]

Bright light therapy (BLT) did not significantly reduce depressive symptoms compared to a control light in patients with Parkinson disease and major depressive disorder, based on a study involving 83 participants over 3 months.

However, BLT was more effective in improving subjective sleep quality and reducing salivary cortisol levels, suggesting it may help with sleep issues related to depression.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bright light therapy for depression in Parkinson disease: A randomized controlled trial. Rutten, S., Vriend, C., Smit, JH., et al.[2019]

Light therapy shows promise in improving both motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, indicating its potential as a novel treatment option.

Further research is needed to develop mechanism-based protocols for light therapy, which could enhance its effectiveness and safety in treating Parkinson's disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Light Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: Towards Mechanism-Based Protocols. Fifel, K., Videnovic, A.[2019]

Artificial light therapy (LT) significantly reduced symptoms of rigidity and bradykinesia in 40 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism, while also improving motor functions and decreasing depression severity after 10 sessions.

LT was safe, easy to administer, and allowed patients to better tolerate drug holidays, suggesting it could be an effective non-drug treatment option, especially for those with early-stage parkinsonism.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[The phototherapy of parkinsonism patients]. Artemenko, AR., Levin, IaI.[2022]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and Safety of Light Therapy as a Home Treatment for Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson Disease: A Meta-Analysis. [2022]

2. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A historical justification for and retrospective analysis of the systematic application of light therapy in Parkinson's disease. [2022]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Polychromatic Light Exposure as a Therapeutic in the Treatment and Management of Parkinson's Disease: A Controlled Exploratory Trial. [2020]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bright light therapy for depression in Parkinson disease: A randomized controlled trial. [2019]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Light Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: Towards Mechanism-Based Protocols. [2019]

6. Russia (Federation) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[The phototherapy of parkinsonism patients]. [2022]