POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF BLUE LIGHT THERAPY IN RELATION TO SLEEP QUALITY AND VIGILANCE IN MTBI

Abstract

Blue light therapy (BLT) is a potential non-pharmacological treatment for symptoms related to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) such as sleep dysfunction and decreased vigilance. Participants with a recent mTBI between the ages of 18 and 50 were recruited to complete an experimental treatment to help improve sleep and facilitate brain recovery. It was hypothesized that six-weeks of blue light exposure would result in increased sleep efficiency and consequently increased vigilance in those who had recently experienced an mTBI or “concussion” (within the preceding 18-months). Eligible participants underwent six-weeks of self-administered morning blue light treatment (BLT) or placebo amber light treatment (ALT). Participants were given a comprehensive battery of assessments at baseline and post-treatment dates that were six-weeks apart. Actigraphically derived sleep data was used to analyze sleep quality, and metrics from the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were used to analyze vigilance. Following the treatment protocol, BLT improved the sleep quality of mTBI patients, but the hypothesis that this improved sleep quality would increase vigilance was not supported. The findings of this thesis provide evidence that BLT is a potential non-pharmacological treatment for symptoms of mTBI.