Light therapy may help elevate mood in people with a concussion
Patients with Traumatic brain injury often develop persistent problems associated with sleep, concentration and depression. Blue light exposure to these patients may result in depression elevation according to a new study.;
Researchers have found that exposure of people with mild traumatic brain injury to early morning blue light therapy may decrease depression and other concussion symptoms. The preliminary study released will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 72nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, April 25 to May 1, 2020.
"Patients with mild traumatic brain injury, like a concussion, often develop persistent problems associated with sleep, concentration and depression," said study author William D. Killgore, Ph.D., from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. "Morning blue light exposure has been shown to lead to the improved circadian rhythm of the body's sleep-wake cycle, which is linked to improved sleep, better mood and daytime alertness."
The double-blind, randomized study involved 35 people with an average age of 26 who had been diagnosed with concussion within the past 18 months. The participants used a tabletop device that shines bright light for 30 minutes each morning for six weeks. Seventeen people received blue light therapy and 18 people received a placebo amber light therapy.
At the beginning and the end of the study, both groups completed tests to measure symptoms of depression and other concussion symptoms, such as headache, fatigue and problems with sleep, memory and concentration.
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