Light Therapy for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Last updated: March 24, 2025
Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

1

Condition

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Anxiety Disorders

Panic Disorders

Treatment

Light therapy

Clinical Study ID

NCT06720090
K23MH137376
  • Ages 18-35
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether light therapy is effective for reducing symptoms in young adults with OCD and late bedtimes (1am or later). The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

Does light therapy reduce OCD symptoms? Does light therapy advance the circadian clock? If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare a higher dose of light therapy to a lower dose to see if dose amount affects symptom reduction.

Participants will asked to:

  1. Wear light therapy glasses for 1 hour each morning and complete a daily light therapy log for 5 weeks

  2. Track their sleep every day with a wearable monitor and an electronic sleep diary for 5 weeks

  3. Complete a 1-time assessment of sensitivity to light exposure

  4. Complete self-report measures of OCD 4 times/day at baseline (2 weeks), mid-treatment (1 week), and end of treatment (1 week)

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Primary DSM-5 OCD diagnosis

  2. Bedtime 0100 or later

  3. Age 18-35

  4. English speaking

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subjects must not be currently participating in another research study that wouldinfluence their participation in our study.

  2. Diagnostic status

  3. Treatment status

  4. Night shift work or travel more than 1 time zone outside of Central Standard Time (CST) in the past month

  5. Pregnancy status

  6. Medication status

  7. Regular nicotine or marijuana use

Study Design

Total Participants: 40
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Light therapy
Phase: 1
Study Start date:
December 01, 2024
Estimated Completion Date:
March 31, 2029

Connect with a study center

  • Washington University

    St. Louis, Missouri 63130
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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