Improving Sleep in Veterans With the Polytrauma Clinical Triad

Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Pain

In brief

The "polytrauma clinical triad" (PCT), a highly disabling constellation of factors, is defined by the coexistence of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain. Veterans with the PCT are medically complex, often refractory to conventional therapies, and suffer from additional related chronic sequela. Notably, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment, which the investigators hypothesize are significant contributing factors to these functional impairments and an impediment toward rehabilitation. Thus, the investigators' research aims to intervene "at the level of sleep", and by improving sleep, improve these interconnected, disabling, and difficult to treat enduring complexities associated with the PCT - ultimately to improve Veteran quality of life, functional independence, and restorative function. The investigators predict that the proposed intervention, morning bright light therapy, which is cost-effective, rapidly deployable and home-based, will be effective in improving sleep and overall PCT symptom management, thereby, resulting in a measurable and impactful improvement in quality of life.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06477796

Run by

VA Office of Research and Development

People needed

96

Starts

2025-05-01

Expected to finish

2028-09-29

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-29

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 89. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Veteran
• English speaking with phone and internet access
• Current self-reported sleep disturbances
• Clinical stable for current pharmacologic or behavioral health treatments for depression, anxiety, sleep and pain
• Documented history of TBI

You may not qualify if…

• Decisional impairment and/or dementia
• Current usage of a lightbox or negative ion generator
• Shift work
• History of macular degeneration and/or bipolar disorder
• Evidence for suicidal ideation
• Cancer diagnosis within the past 6 months
• Surgery within the past 6 months
• Substance abuse within the past 6-12 months
• Significant impairing post-stroke residual hemiparesis

Where it is running

• VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR — Portland, Oregon, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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