Timed bright-light therapy to improve sleep and slow memory decline in older adults
Official title: Application of precision medicine to phototherapy: a stepped care approach to consolidate sleep and slow cognitive decline in older adults
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11470740 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Afternoon bright-light therapy guided by AI aims to strengthen sleep patterns and slow thinking problems in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 9, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00AG084846-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470740 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults with mild cognitive impairment or noticeable sleep-wake fragmentation who can attend study visits and use wearable sleep monitors.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced dementia or without sleep fragmentation are unlikely to benefit from this specific light-based sleep intervention.
What this research studies
You would wear or use light therapy in the afternoon designed to boost the strength of your daily circadian rhythm, combined with sleep monitoring using devices like actimeters. Researchers will use large datasets and modern machine learning to find patterns that link fragmented sleep to memory decline and to personalize the light therapy. The project includes a clinical intervention where people with mild cognitive impairment will receive the phototherapy and undergo regular neurocognitive testing to track changes. The team plans a stepped-care approach, meaning treatment intensity can be adjusted based on individual response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve sleep consolidation and slow cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment, potentially delaying progression toward dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials using morning light showed mixed results, and afternoon-targeted phototherapy is a newer, model-supported approach that still needs clinical proof.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lok, Renske — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Lok, Renske
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.