Randomized Controlled Trial of Light Therapy for Fatigue Following Traumatic Brain Injury

How hard could this be to implement in your hospital? Or if this is not enough proof, what exactly is your doctor doing  to settle the question?
http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/28/4/303?etoc

1. Kelly L. Sinclair, DPsych1
2. Jennie L. Ponsford, PhD1,2
3. John Taffe, PhD1
4. Steven W. Lockley, PhD1,3,4
5. Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, PhD1,3,4

1. ¹Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria, Australia
2. ²Epworth Hospital, Victoria, Australia
3. ³Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
4. ⁴Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

1. Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Building 17, Clayton Campus, Victoria 3800, Australia. Email: shantha.rajaratnam@monash.edu

Abstract

Background. Fatigue is a common, persistent complaint following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Effective treatment is not well established. Objective. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of 4 weeks of light therapy for fatigue in patients with TBI. Methods. We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled study of 4-week, 45 min/morning, home-based treatment with short wavelength (blue) light therapy (λ_max = 465 nm, 84.8 µW/cm², 39.5 lux, 1.74 × 10¹⁴ photons/cm²/s) compared with yellow light therapy (λ_max = 574 nm, 18.5 µW/cm², 68 lux, 1.21 × 10¹² photons/cm²/s) containing less photons in the short wavelength range and a no treatment control group (n = 10 per group) in patients with TBI who self-reported fatigue and/or sleep disturbance. Assessments of fatigue and secondary outcomes (self-reported daytime sleepiness, depression, sleep quality, and sustained attention) were conducted over 10 weeks at baseline (week −2), midway through and at the end of light therapy (weeks 2 and 4), and 4 weeks following cessation of light therapy (week 8). Results. After controlling age, gender, and baseline depression, treatment with high-intensity blue light therapy resulted in reduced fatigue and daytime sleepiness during the treatment phase, with evidence of a trend toward baseline levels 4 weeks after treatment cessation. These changes were not observed with lower-intensity yellow light therapy or no treatment control conditions. There was also no significant treatment effect observed for self-reported depression or psychomotor vigilance performance.  

Conclusions. Blue light therapy appears to be effective in alleviating fatigue and daytime sleepiness following TBI and may offer a noninvasive, safe, and nonpharmacological alternative to current treatments.