Human Circadian Sensitivity to Very Short Light Pulses

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Treatments: Other: Ocular light or darkness exposure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01330992

NIH-RC2-HL101340

Details and patient eligibility

About

The mammalian eye serves both visual and non-image-forming functions. New information about the non-image-forming anatomy and physiology of the eye has revealed effects of ocular light stimuli on human circadian rhythms, melatonin suppression, heart rate, pupillary reflexes, cognitive performance, alertness and sleep. The results of the proposed work can be used to make predictions about the effects of light, to make recommendations involving exposure to or avoidance of light, and to design environmental lighting, resulting in improved health and alertness and decreased errors and accidents.

Enrollment: 400 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteers

Exclusion criteria

• No medications
• No eye disease
• No sleep disorders
• No psychiatric disorders

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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400 participants in 1 patient group

Ocular Light or Dark Exposure

Experimental group

Description:

Ocular Light or Dark Exposure

Treatment:

Other: Ocular light or darkness exposure