The Long-term Impact of a Light Intervention on Sleep and Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment

May 6, 2026 updated by: Mariana Figueiro, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Long-term Impact of a Light Intervention on Sleep Physiology and Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment

To investigate the impact of a long-term light treatment intervention on sleep physiology and memory in mild cognitively impaired and mild Alzheimer's disease patients living at home. The goal is also to measure the impact of the lighting intervention on caregivers' sleep, cognition, depression, and quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The current application proposes to investigate the impact of a long-term light treatment intervention on sleep physiology and sleep-dependent cognitive processes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The premise is that older adults, especially those with cognitive impairment, are often in continuous dim light, which leads to circadian misalignment. Circadian misalignment impacts the close relationship between homeostatic and circadian processes, which can reduce memory-related sleep features. The hypothesis is that a lighting intervention technology (LIT), designed to promote circadian entrainment, will improve sleep by aligning the two sleep processes (circadian and homeostatic) and, thus improve cognition. In addition to improving patients' lives, LIT has the potential to reduce the overnight burden on caregivers. Thus, an exploratory goal is to also measure the impact of LIT on caregivers' sleep, cognition, depression, and quality of life.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
73

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • Albany, New York, United States, 12204
        • Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai
      • New York, New York, United States, 10029
        • Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria for MCI/Mild AD Participant:

  • Subject has diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), as defined by a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between 17 and 24 and those who fall between 0.5-4.0 and 4.5-9.0 in the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB) instrument
  • Subject has sleep disturbance indicated by a score >5 on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sleep efficiency below 80% as indicated via actigraphy
  • Subject resides in his/her home, independent living, or assisted living facilities with a caregiver.

Exclusion Criteria for MCI/Mild AD Participant:

  • Subject diagnosed with another brain disease that fully explains the dementia (extensive brain vascular disease, Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, traumatic brain injury, or multiple sclerosis)
  • Subject resides in a skilled nursing facility or long-term care
  • Subject has had recent changes in psychotropics (14 days)
  • Subject has major organ failure (e.g., kidney failure)
  • Subject has uncontrolled generalized disorders such as hypertension or diabetes
  • Subject has obstructing cataracts, macular degeneration, and/or blindness
  • Subject has undergone cataract surgery and received an intraocular lens coated with ultraviolet- and blue-blocking filters (400-440/440-500 nm)
  • Subject diagnosed with severe sleep apnea; using the Sleep Apnea scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ) the study will use a score of 29 as a cutoff for men and a cutoff of 26 for women
  • Subject diagnosed with restless leg syndrome (RLS); using the International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS), the study will use a cutoff of ≥11 as a positive screen for RLS
  • Subject has a history of severe photosensitivity dermatitis, severe progressive retinal disease (e.g., macular degeneration), or a permanently dilated pupil (e.g., after certain types of cataract surgery)

For caregivers, we will accept those who:

  • Live with the patients
  • Are not diagnosed with dementia (MOCA between 25 and 30 and CDR=0)
  • Understand English
  • Are willing to help with the study
  • No other inclusion/exclusion criteria will be used for enrolling caregivers. There is no age requirement for caregivers.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Active Lighting intervention
The active lighting intervention will provide high circadian stimulation during the day produced by light sources that provide moderate light levels of spectra that are tuned to the sensitivity of the circadian system. Combining spectrum and light level, the intervention will allow us to: (1) use a light source that will stimulate the circadian system and (2) provide the participants with options as to how the light treatment will be delivered
Device: Lighting Intervention
Lighting Intervention consisting of a cool or warm light source.
Placebo Comparator: Control Lighting Intervention
The control lighting intervention will consist of low levels of a warm light source designed not to impact the circadian system.
Device: Lighting Intervention
Lighting Intervention consisting of a cool or warm light source.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cognition using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog)
Time Frame: Will be administered at baseline and the end of weeks 9, 17, 25 and 37
Change in cognition of the MCI participant will be assessed utilizing the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive to capture subtler changes in cognitive performance. The ADAS-Cog is the most widely used general cognitive measure in clinical trials of Alzheimer's disease. The ADAS-Cog assesses multiple cognitive domains including memory, language, praxis, and orientation.
Will be administered at baseline and the end of weeks 9, 17, 25 and 37

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sleep Quality in the MCI Participant using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time Frame: Will be administered at baseline and the end of weeks 9, 17, 25 and 37
Change in sleep quality of the MCI participant will be assessed utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI is composed of 19 items that generate seven component scores (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction). The sum of the seven component scores yields a single global score. A global score >5 is considered to indicate sleep disturbances. A lower score indicates improvement in sleep quality.
Will be administered at baseline and the end of weeks 9, 17, 25 and 37

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Rutgers University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mariana Figueiro, PhD, Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 14, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 27, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 29, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • GCO 21-0019
  • R01AG062288 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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