title: Indirect bright light improves circadian rest-activity rhythm disturbances in demented patients.
abstract: Light is known to be an important modulator of circadian rhythms. We tested the hypothesis than an enduring increase in the daytime environmental illumination level improves rest-activity rhythm disturbances in demented patients. Actigraphy was performed before, during, and after 4 weeks of increased illumination in the living rooms of 22 patients with dementia clinically diagnosed as probable Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, dementia associated with alcoholism, or normal pressure hydrocephalus. The results indicated that during increased illumination, the stability of the rest-activity rhythm increased in patients with intact vision, but not in visually impaired patients.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Neurosciences Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van Someren
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirmiran
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Swaab
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003704:Dementia / Q000628:therapy*; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy; D012890:Sleep; D012931:Social Environment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014851:Wakefulness