Weifang Medical University

Light therapy leads to significant improvements in sleep and psycho-behavioral symptoms for patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. Light therapy leads to significant improvements in sleep and psycho-behavioral symptoms for patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Qinghui Meng of Weifang Medical University, China, and colleagues. The cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease is often accompanied by sleep disturbances and psycho-behavioral symptoms including apathetic and depressive behavior, agitation and aggression. Photobiomodulation is a non-pharmacological therapy that uses light energy to stimulate the suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN), a sleep modulator in the brain. Despite light therapy receiving increased attention as a potential intervention for Alzheimer's, a systematic evaluation of its efficacy and safety has been unavailable. In the new study, researchers searched multiple research databases to identify all randomized controlled trials related to light therapy intervention for Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Fifteen high-quality trials with available methods and relevant outcomes were selected for further analysis. The included trials were written in English, published between 2005 and 2022, and performed in seven countries. They included a combined 598 patients. The meta-analysis of all fifteen trials found that light therapy significantly improved sleep efficiency, increased interdaily stability (a measure of the strength of circadian rhythms), and reduced intradaily variability (a measure of how frequently someone transitions between rest and activity during the day). In patients with Alzheimer's disease, light therapy also alleviated depression and reduced patient agitation and caregiver burden. Given the limited sample sizes in studies included in this meta-analysis, the authors advocate for larger future studies, which could also explore if bright light exposure could cause any adverse behavior in patients. They conclude that light therapy is a promising treatment option for some symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The authors add: "Light therapy improves sleep and psycho-behavioral symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease and has relatively few side effects, suggesting that it may be a promising treatment option for patients with Alzheimer's disease."

THURSDAY, July 13, 2023 -- Childhood diabetes is an increasing global health challenge, according to a study published online July 3 in JAMA Pediatrics . Kexin Zhang, from Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University in China, and colleagues examined trends in the burden of childhood diabetes as measured by incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) at the global, national, regional and Sociodemographic Index (SDI) subgroup levels (1990 to 2019). Analysis included 1.4 million children from birth to age 14 from 204 countries. The researchers found that cases of childhood diabetes increased by 39.37 percent from 1990 to 2019. Over the time period, the global incidence rate increased from 9.31 to 11.61 per 100,000 population, while the diabetes-associated death rate decreased from 0.38 to 0.28 per 100,000 population. The highest childhood diabetes-associated mortality rate in 2019 was seen in the lowest SDI region. North Africa and the Middle East saw the largest increase in incidence (estimated annual percentage change, 2.06). Environmental/occupational risk, nonoptimal temperature, high temperature, and low temperature were key global risk factors for childhood diabetes-associated mortality. "Despite the global decline in deaths and DALYs, the number of deaths and DALYs remains high among children with diabetes, especially in low SDI regions," the authors write. "Diabetes is a major health issue among children, and accurate estimation of its burden is essential for developing targeted prevention and treatment approaches." Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required) Posted July 2023