Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
Circadian sleep disorders are common among American adults and can become especially acute among older adults, especially those living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), leading to the exacerbation of symptoms and contributing to the development and advancement o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.625698/full |
| _version_ | 1818590614913024000 |
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| author | Mariana G. Figueiro Mariana G. Figueiro Sagan Leggett Sagan Leggett |
| author_facet | Mariana G. Figueiro Mariana G. Figueiro Sagan Leggett Sagan Leggett |
| author_sort | Mariana G. Figueiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Circadian sleep disorders are common among American adults and can become especially acute among older adults, especially those living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), leading to the exacerbation of symptoms and contributing to the development and advancement of the diseases. This review explores the connections between circadian sleep disorders, cognition, and neurodegenerative disease, offering insights on rapidly developing therapeutic interventions employing intermittent light stimuli for improving sleep and cognition in persons with AD and MCI. Light therapy has the potential to affect sleep and cognition via at least two pathways: (1) a regular and robust light-dark pattern reaching the retina that promotes circadian phase shifting, which can promote entrainment and (2) 40 Hz flickering light that promotes gamma-wave entrainment. While this is a new area of research, preliminary evidence shows the potential of dual circadian and gamma-wave entrainment as an important therapy not only for those with AD, but for others with cognitive impairment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:59:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-995edfdaef5c45c292260bed417446fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2295 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:59:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-995edfdaef5c45c292260bed417446fb2022-12-21T22:35:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952021-03-011210.3389/fneur.2021.625698625698Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's DiseaseMariana G. Figueiro0Mariana G. Figueiro1Sagan Leggett2Sagan Leggett3Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United StatesLighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United StatesLighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United StatesCircadian sleep disorders are common among American adults and can become especially acute among older adults, especially those living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), leading to the exacerbation of symptoms and contributing to the development and advancement of the diseases. This review explores the connections between circadian sleep disorders, cognition, and neurodegenerative disease, offering insights on rapidly developing therapeutic interventions employing intermittent light stimuli for improving sleep and cognition in persons with AD and MCI. Light therapy has the potential to affect sleep and cognition via at least two pathways: (1) a regular and robust light-dark pattern reaching the retina that promotes circadian phase shifting, which can promote entrainment and (2) 40 Hz flickering light that promotes gamma-wave entrainment. While this is a new area of research, preliminary evidence shows the potential of dual circadian and gamma-wave entrainment as an important therapy not only for those with AD, but for others with cognitive impairment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.625698/fullAlzheimer's diseasecircadian entrainmentflashing lightgamma entrainmentmemorysleep |
| spellingShingle | Mariana G. Figueiro Mariana G. Figueiro Sagan Leggett Sagan Leggett Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Frontiers in Neurology Alzheimer's disease circadian entrainment flashing light gamma entrainment memory sleep |
| title | Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| title_full | Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| title_fullStr | Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| title_short | Intermittent Light Exposures in Humans: A Case for Dual Entrainment in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease |
| title_sort | intermittent light exposures in humans a case for dual entrainment in the treatment of alzheimer s disease |
| topic | Alzheimer's disease circadian entrainment flashing light gamma entrainment memory sleep |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.625698/full |
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