Clinical trial · Interventional
The "Light for the Brain" Study
Treating Cognitive Impairments in Cancer Patients Via Systematic Light Exposure
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Cognitive impairment (such as memory problems) due to cancer and its treatment can interfere with quality of life and can linger long after treatment has ended, yet research examining cognitive rehabilitation approaches has produced limited clinical benefit. The proposed study will provide information about systematic light exposure for the treatment of cognitive impairment in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors and will investigate how it works. This study would facilitate the development of this potential treatment, giving health care providers and cancer survivors a much-needed tool to help with cancer-related cognitive impairment.
Conditions
Conditions (6)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Impairments | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Depression | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Fatigue | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Quality of Life | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Sleep | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparison systematic light exposure | Device | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Intervention systematic light exposure | Device | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention light
- description
- 30 minutes of intervention systematic light exposure daily for 4 weeks.
- interventionNames
- Device: Intervention systematic light exposure
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Comparison light
- description
- 30 minutes of comparison systematic light exposure daily for 4 weeks.
- interventionNames
- Device: Comparison systematic light exposure
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- Cognitive Functioning (Neuropsychological Tests)
- timeFrame
- Baseline to end-of-intervention to 8 weeks after the intervention
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 21 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Have a history of HSCT, 2. 1 to 5 years post-HSCT, 3. Relapse-free since most recent HSCT, 4. Age 21 or older, 5. English language proficient 6. Able to provide informed consent 7. Endorse subjective cognitive impairment. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosed or suspected neurological, psychiatric (including bipolar disorder or mania), or medical condition that might impair cognitive functioning (other than those caused by the cancer or its treatment), 2. Visual, hearing, or physical impairment sufficient to interfere with cognitive testing or participation, 3. Have a history of whole brain irradiation or surgery, 4. Active diagnosis of autoimmune and/or inflammatory disorder or disorders that may influence immune processes, 5. Chronic use of oral steroid medication, 6. History of systematic light exposure treatment, 7. Diagnosed sleep apnea or narcolepsy, 8. Use of photosensitizing medications, 9. Plan to travel across meridians during the study, 10. Work night, early morning, or swing shifts, 11. Adults unable to consent, individuals who are not yet adults, pregnant women and prisoners will be excluded from the study.
References
Publications (1)
- DERIVEDWu LM, Valdimarsdottir HB, Amidi A, Reid KJ, Ancoli-Israel S, Bovbjerg K, Fox RS, Walker L, Matharu A, Kaseda ET, Galvin JP, Adekola K, Winkel G, Penedo F, Redd WH. Examining the Efficacy of Bright Light Therapy on Cognitive Function in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Survivors. J Biol Rhythms. 2022 Oct;37(5):471-483. doi: 10.1177/07487304221107833. Epub 2022 Jul 29. PMID 35904252