Neuro-affective Response to Light in Depressed Adolescents and Young Adults

University of Pittsburgh

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Depression in Adults; Depression in Adolescence

Treatments: Other: Red Light; Other: Blue Light

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05712772

STUDY22040093

R21MH127294 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this neuroimaging pilot study is to understand developmental differences in the impact of therapeutic wavelength light (blue light) versus a non-therapeutic wavelength (red light) on emotional brain function in depression. The main questions this study aims to answer are:

• Does acute exposure to blue light (vs red light) stabilize emotional brain function in depressed individuals?
• Are stabilizing effects of blue light (vs red light) stronger for blue light in adolescents than young adults?

Participants will complete:

• A magnetic resonance imaging brain scan, in which we will examine the effect of blue versus red light on emotional brain function at rest and in response to rewards and losses.
• A pupillometry test of sensitivity to blue vs red light
• Clinical interviews and surveys
• Screening measures for drug and alcohol use, MRI safety, and current pregnancy [if relevant]
• Home sleep tracking with sleep diary and actigraphy for one week

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 30 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Elevated Depressive Symptoms [PHQ9≥5 And (Item 1≥1 or Item 2≥1)]
• (If <18yr) Parent or guardian can attend the baseline clinical interview

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to read and write in English
• Intellectual disability.
• Left or mixed handedness
• Changes to psychotropic medication type or dosage in the past 2 months
• Lifetime bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, or substance/alcohol disorder in the past 3 months.
• Factors influencing light and color sensitivity (i.e., color-blindness, serious ophthalmological conditions, photo-sensitizing medication).
• Factors influencing the ability to maintain a stable sleep schedule (i.e., shift work, severe sleep disorders, extremely late or early sleep schedule).
• Severe medical illness, neurological disorders, or history of head trauma.
• Current pregnancy or nursing
• MRI contraindication (e.g., metals in the body, recent tattoo, claustrophobia)
• Positive alcohol or substance use screen at MRI visit

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Blue then Red Light

Experimental group

Description:

Blue light (480 nm) then Red light (640 nm)

Treatment:

Other: Blue Light

Other: Red Light

Red Light then Blue Light

Experimental group

Description:

Red light (640 nm) then Blue light (480 nm)

Treatment:

Other: Blue Light

Other: Red Light