Updated: 09/29/2015 6:35 PM
Created: 09/29/2015 2:16 PM WNYT.com
By: Benita Zahn
By: Benita Zahn
Article From: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s3920645.shtml
Some 4.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As the baby boomers age, that number is expected to rise dramatically.
While science struggles to find an effect treatment, even a cure, other scientists are finding ways to help manage the disease.
It may be as simple as shedding a little light on the subject.
“It's what we call a perfect bad storm,” notes Dr. Mariana Figueiro with the RPI Lighting Research Center.
Figueiro is talking about the effect of low flat lighting in assisted living and nursing homes on Alzheimer’s patients.
The disease impedes the brain's ability to effectively process light -- which we need to keep our circadian clock synchronized.
The result; their wake-sleep cycle is disrupted and that causes a range of problems.
Her answer; more light of a particular wave length.
“We know from studies that we have done here looking at how the retina converts the light signals into neuro signals for the circadian system and we know that we have photo receptors in the eye that are more sensitive to short wave lengths, or blue light,” Dr. Figueiro explained.
So her team created a blue light table.
It's easily used by Alzheimer’s patients. They can sit around it for meals and activities.
It's a simple creation; an edge lit TV mounted into a table frame.
For those who don't leave their rooms, lights have been retrofitted with specialty lightbulbs.
Based on studies she’s done in nursing homes, the light therapy is working.
“We're showing improvement in sleep efficiency, we're showing a reduction in agitation and a very strong effect in in reducing depression,” Figueiro noted.
With better sleep, says Figueiro, this population experiences fewer falls.
“I think that's going to be the future. You're going to have to retrofit lighting in facilities so that you're deliver that increased circadian stimulation during the day no matter where the patient is,” Figueiro predicted.
Figueiro hopes a furniture manufacturer will start producing the light table which she envisions can be enhanced with touch screen technology to further engage Alzheimer's patients.
Her team is looking for facilities that want to take part in her study.
She also has pointers for families who are caring for loved ones at home and commercial light bulbs they can use to retrofit home lighting.
If you use the bulbs you want to switch them off by 6 p.m. to allow for normal circadian rhythm.
While the light therapy doesn't work for everyone, Figueiro says early studies find it effective at least 75 percent of the time.
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