Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...
Primary and secondary features of Parkinson's disease improve with strategic exposure to bright light: a case series study.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a779829111~db=all~jumptype=rss
The antagonism of melatonin in models of Parkinson's disease (PD) can reduce the severity of motor impairment associated with dopamine (DA) degeneration. In consideration of the potent antidepressant effects of bright light therapy (LT), that LT suppresses melatonin secretion, that depression is commonly observed in PD, and that exposure to constant light facilitates recovery from experimental PD, the object of the present study was to strategically administer LT to PD patients and observe the effects on depression, insomnia, and motor performance. Twelve patients diagnosed with PD were exposed to white fluorescent light for 1-1.5 h at an intensity of 1000 to 1500 lux once daily commencing 1 h prior to the usual time of sleep onset, approximately 22:00 h in most patients. All patients were assessed before LT commenced and at two weeks, five weeks, and regular intervals thereafter. Within two weeks after commencing LT, marked improvement in bradykinaesia and rigidity was observed in most patients. Tremor was not affected by LT treatment; however, agitation, dyskinaesia, and psychiatric side effects were reduced, as verified by decreased requirement for DA replacement therapy. Elevated mood, improved sleep, decreased seborrhea, reduced impotence, and increased appetite were observed after LT. LT permitted the reduction of the dose of L-dopa, bromocriptine, or deprenyl in some patients by up to 50% without loss of symptom control. Factors limiting the efficacy of LT included multiple disease states, treatment compliance, polypharmacy, emotional stress, advanced age, and predominance of positive symptoms. The results of this case series study confirms previous work describing light as efficacious in the treatment of PD and suggest that controlled trials may help to elucidate how LT might be used strategically as an adjunct therapy to improve the morbidity of PD patients.
Do take note that Bright Light from SADLIGHT boxes do NOT contain UVB so no Vitamin D is produced by looking at them. Even FULL SPECTRUM lighting does not contain UVB. The full spectrum refers to visible light and you cannot see UVA or UVB rays. This therapy works by bright light working directly on the pineal gland thus influencing melatonin secretion.
Another study on the same idea.
Bright light therapy in Parkinson's disease: A pilot study
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114265653/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
Several observations suggest a beneficial effect of melatonin antagonism for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although bright light therapy (BLT) suppresses melatonin release and is an established treatment for depression and sleep disturbances, it has not been evaluated in PD. We examined effects of BLT on motor symptoms, depression, and sleep in PD in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study in 36 PD patients, using Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I-IV, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. All patients received BLT for 15 days in the morning, 30 min daily. Illuminance was 7.500 lux in the active treatment group and 950 lux in the placebo group. Although group differences were small, BLT led to significant improvement of tremor, UPDRS I, II, and IV, and depression in the active treatment group but not in the placebo group. It was very well tolerated. Follow up studies in more advanced patient populations employing longer treatment durations are warranted. 2007 Movement Disorder Society
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a779829111~db=all~jumptype=rss
The antagonism of melatonin in models of Parkinson's disease (PD) can reduce the severity of motor impairment associated with dopamine (DA) degeneration. In consideration of the potent antidepressant effects of bright light therapy (LT), that LT suppresses melatonin secretion, that depression is commonly observed in PD, and that exposure to constant light facilitates recovery from experimental PD, the object of the present study was to strategically administer LT to PD patients and observe the effects on depression, insomnia, and motor performance. Twelve patients diagnosed with PD were exposed to white fluorescent light for 1-1.5 h at an intensity of 1000 to 1500 lux once daily commencing 1 h prior to the usual time of sleep onset, approximately 22:00 h in most patients. All patients were assessed before LT commenced and at two weeks, five weeks, and regular intervals thereafter. Within two weeks after commencing LT, marked improvement in bradykinaesia and rigidity was observed in most patients. Tremor was not affected by LT treatment; however, agitation, dyskinaesia, and psychiatric side effects were reduced, as verified by decreased requirement for DA replacement therapy. Elevated mood, improved sleep, decreased seborrhea, reduced impotence, and increased appetite were observed after LT. LT permitted the reduction of the dose of L-dopa, bromocriptine, or deprenyl in some patients by up to 50% without loss of symptom control. Factors limiting the efficacy of LT included multiple disease states, treatment compliance, polypharmacy, emotional stress, advanced age, and predominance of positive symptoms. The results of this case series study confirms previous work describing light as efficacious in the treatment of PD and suggest that controlled trials may help to elucidate how LT might be used strategically as an adjunct therapy to improve the morbidity of PD patients.
Do take note that Bright Light from SADLIGHT boxes do NOT contain UVB so no Vitamin D is produced by looking at them. Even FULL SPECTRUM lighting does not contain UVB. The full spectrum refers to visible light and you cannot see UVA or UVB rays. This therapy works by bright light working directly on the pineal gland thus influencing melatonin secretion.
Another study on the same idea.
Bright light therapy in Parkinson's disease: A pilot study
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114265653/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
Several observations suggest a beneficial effect of melatonin antagonism for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although bright light therapy (BLT) suppresses melatonin release and is an established treatment for depression and sleep disturbances, it has not been evaluated in PD. We examined effects of BLT on motor symptoms, depression, and sleep in PD in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study in 36 PD patients, using Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I-IV, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. All patients received BLT for 15 days in the morning, 30 min daily. Illuminance was 7.500 lux in the active treatment group and 950 lux in the placebo group. Although group differences were small, BLT led to significant improvement of tremor, UPDRS I, II, and IV, and depression in the active treatment group but not in the placebo group. It was very well tolerated. Follow up studies in more advanced patient populations employing longer treatment durations are warranted. 2007 Movement Disorder Society
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
With SADLIGHTS its the intensity of the light that does the trick. So any really really bright light will do if you get close enough to it. You may find that a 2D shaped 38W flourescent tube in an ordinary tasklight will suffice, no real need to spend megabucks on one that has "SAD" on the side. In the UK you can get this type of worklight for around 20 it's similar to the tubes put in SADLIGHTS that cost 100+
You can now get LED lights that are really quite intense if you have sufficient of them close together. You can also get some pretty powerful desklamps that would do the same job. You need to get as close to them as you can bear. Having the really powerful proper SADLIGHTS is sometimes not worth it as there is only so much bright light anyone can take and you then simply back off till it's bearable. So buying a less powerful light but sitting closer to it works out just as effective.
Normal sun exposure is not responsible for melanoma. Numerous studies (Garland) have shown those who work outdoors have a lower incidence of melanoma than those who work indoors. In one of their studies they compared the melanoma rates of naval personel who worked above and below decks and it was the below decks workers that had the most melanomas.
Before the 1950's there were so few melanomas statistics weren't kept it was so rare.
A couple of changes have caused the increase. First it's because people are exposed to less sunshine during working hours they have a lower vitamin D status, and when they do spend time outside they tend to fly towards the Equator and end up with sunburns which are a risk factor for melanoma. It is the failure to get regular exposure to sunshine (and therefore no skin hardening has occured) that increases the risk of burning when you do get more intensive sun exposure.
Part of the trouble is that for many years when we started using sunscreens we used UVB protection only and this allowed longer exposure to UVA without the protection afforded by increased Vitamin d3 (from the uvb) Now we can get sunscreens with both UVB/UVA protection so extended exposure to the UVA which is known to contribute to melanoma risk, is less likely.
However do remember that melanomas generally occur on those parts of the body that get the least exposure to sunlightand is seen most in people who get the least regular sun exposure. Another useful bit of research shows that those people who have been unlucky enough to get melanoma have a better prognosis if they continue to get regular limited sun exposure than those who totally shun the sun.
I'm afraid that the treatment with bright light for reducing severity of PD symptoms involved exposure to an hours bright light commencing an hour before sleep onset at 10pm. So not much point in nipping outside at that hour of the night to get a bit of sunshine. What the treatment is doing is trying to do is to reduce the secretion of melatonin and while getting out into the early morning sunshine may well be helpful it will not reduce the melatonin cycle which starts late evening and causes us to feel sleepy at bedtime.
GE REVEAL bulbs are full spectruum and low cost for all of your lamps and light fixtures.
Loved the stastics. Thx