title: Randomized controlled trial of light therapy for fatigue following traumatic brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fatigue is a common, persistent complaint following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Effective treatment is not well established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  .The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of 4 weeks of light therapy for fatigue in patients with TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled study of 4-week, 45 min/morning, home-based treatment with short wavelength (blue) light therapy (λmax = 465 nm, 84.8 µW/cm(2), 39.5 lux, 1.74 × 10(14) photons/cm(2)/s) compared with yellow light therapy (λmax = 574 nm, 18.5 µW/cm(2), 68 lux, 1.21 × 10(12) photons/cm(2)/s) containing less photons in the short wavelength range and a no treatment control group (n = 10 per group) in patients with TBI who self-reported fatigue and/or sleep disturbance. Assessments of fatigue and secondary outcomes (self-reported daytime sleepiness, depression, sleep quality, and sustained attention) were conducted over 10 weeks at baseline (week -2), midway through and at the end of light therapy (weeks 2 and 4), and 4 weeks following cessation of light therapy (week 8).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling age, gender, and baseline depression, treatment with high-intensity blue light therapy resulted in reduced fatigue and daytime sleepiness during the treatment phase, with evidence of a trend toward baseline levels 4 weeks after treatment cessation. These changes were not observed with lower-intensity yellow light therapy or no treatment control conditions. There was also no significant treatment effect observed for self-reported depression or psychomotor vigilance performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blue light therapy appears to be effective in alleviating fatigue and daytime sleepiness following TBI and may offer a noninvasive, safe, and nonpharmacological alternative to current treatments.
authors.affiliation: 1Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Jennie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ponsford
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taffe
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lockley
authors.forename: Shantha M W
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rajaratnam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017785:Photons; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: depression; excessive daytime sleepiness; fatigue; light therapy; sleep disturbance; traumatic brain injury