Bright light treatment for high-anxious young adults: a randomized controlled pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Available treatments for anxiety have limitations and/or side effects. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of bright light exposure as a treatment in high-anxious young adults.


METHODS
In an acute exposure study, participants (n = 33) were randomly assigned to 45  min of (1) bright light or (2) placebo. Participants then performed a 5-week study (n = 29). Following a 1-week baseline, participants were randomly assigned to 4 weeks of daily exposure to either (1) bright light (45  min/day) or (2) placebo treatment, initiated ≤1 hr after awakening. Before and after the experiment, clinical ratings were conducted with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Scale, and Clinical Global Impressions scale. Following each week, blood pressure, anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y1), depression, mood, sleep, and side effects were assessed.


RESULTS
No significant treatment effect was found in the acute exposure study. Likewise, in the 5-week study, no significant treatment effect was found. However, bright light elicited marginally greater reductions in psychic symptoms of the HAM-A (P = .06) and other measures.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study provides little compelling evidence for an anxiolytic effect of bright light in high-anxious young adults.
Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. syoungstedt@sc.edu
Shawn D
SD
Youngstedt
Christopher E
CE
Kline
Jay P
JP
Ginsberg
Mark R
MR
Zielinski
James W
JW
Hardin
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult