Promoting Cognitive Resilience and Reducing Frailty in Older Veterans With Bright Light Therapy

Running, not enrolling · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Veteran Aged 65 and Older

In brief

Frailty is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by vulnerability to stressors that is intricately linked to cognitive impairment and mortality risk. Bright light therapy (BLT) reduces circadian disturbances by resynchronizing the hypothalamic biological clock via specific wavelengths of light. Human trials have demonstrated that BLT improves sleep quality and cognitive function in older adults. However, BLT has not been examined for use in older Veteran populations, particularly the impact on frailty. This randomized trial will assess the feasibility of employing BLT to study impacts on frailty, cognition, and sleep in older Veterans. Findings from this pilot will establish the power and effect size necessary for larger trials to support the use of BLT as readily available home-based treatment to improve healthspan of Veterans.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05631236

Run by

VA Office of Research and Development

People needed

43

Starts

2024-01-29

Expected to finish

2027-06-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-21

Who can join

Age: 60 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Participants studied in this project will include 30 men and 5 women of any race who are community dwellers
• The investigators seek to recruit relatively healthy individuals that may or may not exhibit early-stage co-morbidities

You may not qualify if…

• The investigators will exclude individuals without sleep disturbances (PSQI >5)
• Are morbidly obese (BMI > 40)
• Exhibit severe or advanced co-morbidities, or have cognitive impairment

Where it is running

• Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO — Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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