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?

This trial explores how light therapy might alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as memory problems and movement issues. The therapy involves shining a low-level light on the front of the head for 12 minutes, three times a week over six weeks. To evaluate its effectiveness, participants will undergo memory and movement tests before and after treatment. Individuals with Parkinson's disease who can manage daily activities independently might be suitable for this study. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance future treatments for Parkinson's disease.

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.

What prior data suggests that this light therapy technique is safe for Parkinson's disease patients?

Research has shown that light therapy is generally safe for people with Parkinson's disease. In one study, patients did not experience any major side effects from using light therapy. Another study found that light therapy was easy to handle when combined with regular medication. This suggests that people using light therapy usually do not experience harmful effects.

While these studies indicate positive safety signs, it's important to remember that reactions can vary. Prospective trial participants should consult a doctor to determine if light therapy is suitable for them. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike the standard treatments for Parkinson's disease, which often include medications like levodopa that aim to increase dopamine levels, light therapy offers a completely different approach. Researchers are excited about light therapy because it uses specific wavelengths of light to potentially modulate brain activity and improve symptoms without relying on drugs. This method might provide a non-invasive option with fewer side effects, and it's gaining interest for its potential to enhance mood and cognitive function in patients.

What evidence suggests that light therapy is effective for Parkinson's disease?

Research on light therapy for Parkinson's disease shows mixed results. Some studies found no major improvements in movement or quality of life compared to those who didn't receive the therapy. However, other trials suggest light therapy might reduce the need for L-DOPA, a common Parkinson's medication, by up to 50%. Early evidence also indicates that personalized light therapy could improve sleep for Parkinson's patients. In this trial, participants will join either a light therapy group or a placebo light therapy group to further investigate these potential benefits. While some findings are promising, more research is needed to fully understand its benefits. ^{1 2 3 4 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

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9276174/

Efficacy and safety of light therapy for Parkinson disease - PMC

For the analysis, we did not find any significant difference in motor function, depression, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and QoL between LT and controls.

2.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878747925002065

A double-blind, controlled trial of circadian effective light ...

This study was designed to assess whether exposure to light therapy tuned to target a circadian response, could benefit both motor and non-motor ...

3.

thelancet.com

thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00053-1/fulltext

Efficacy of biologically-directed daylight therapy on sleep ...

This RCT provides early evidence that a personalised, biologically-directed daylight therapy may improve sleep in patients with PD, and further ...

4.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5924622/

Light Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: Towards Mechanism ...

However, two of the four trials conducted so far have shown that PD patients receiving supplemental light are able to reduce the amount of L-DOPA to 50% while ...

5.

clinicaltrials.gov

clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02175472

Efficacy Study of Light Therapy as an Adjunctive Treatment ...

Light treatment was originally employed in Parkinson's disease (PD) to determine if it might be effective in treating co-existing symptoms of depression and ...

6.

bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com

bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-025-06915-z

Bright light therapy in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study on ...

The aim of this study is to validate whether BLT improves clinical symptoms in PD and explore the possible mechanisms of visual pathways.