Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Sleep, Light, Circadian, Central Oxidative Stress

40 participantsStarted 2026-03-30

Plain-language summary

Irregular sleep timing and sleep deficiency are pervasive in society despite evidence that sleep deficiency impairs cognition and is linked to neurodegenerative disease. Potential pathways underlying the adverse cognitive function and brain health associated with irregular insufficient sleep include misalignment of sleep from the internal \~24-hour body clock and brain oxidative stress. This research will investigate these putative pathways and inform future interventions to mitigate the impact of sleep loss on cognition and brain health.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years – 40 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Exclusion criteria

✕. Volunteers must be drug-free (including caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol) for the entire duration of the study, with no history of drug or alcohol dependency.
✕. Subjects must be free from any significant impairments of the visual system, including color blindness.
✕. Subjects must be ambulatory, have no major visual or auditory handicaps, and be free from any major acute, chronic or debilitating medical conditions.
✕. history of psychiatric illnesses or psychiatric disorders
✕. History of consistent work during the overnight hours for the one year prior to study.
✕. History of transmeridian travel \>2 times zones, will require a 1 week wash out per hour of time difference from the Eastern Standard/Daylight Time zone.

What they're measuring

circadian phase shifts in melatonin sulfate rhythm

Timeframe: Baseline: Day 1 of study, Final: Day 8 of study

Accuracy on the matrix reasoning task

Timeframe: Daily over 8 days throughout study intervention

WASO on the PSG

Timeframe: Baseline sleep, first short sleep, second short sleep.

MRS-derived GSH in the mPFC

Timeframe: Baseline: Day 1 of study, Final: Day 8 of study

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07471126

SponsorBrigham and Women's Hospital

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2029-03-30

Contact for this trial

Shadab A Rahman, PhD

617-525-8830 srahman@bwh.harvard.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Non-visual Effects of Light trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Age range18 Years – 40 Years

SexALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Exclusion criteria

✕. Volunteers must be drug-free (including caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol) for the entire duration of the study, with no history of drug or alcohol dependency.
✕. Subjects must be free from any significant impairments of the visual system, including color blindness.
✕. Subjects must be ambulatory, have no major visual or auditory handicaps, and be free from any major acute, chronic or debilitating medical conditions.
✕. history of psychiatric illnesses or psychiatric disorders
✕. History of consistent work during the overnight hours for the one year prior to study.
✕. History of transmeridian travel \>2 times zones, will require a 1 week wash out per hour of time difference from the Eastern Standard/Daylight Time zone.

What they're measuring

circadian phase shifts in melatonin sulfate rhythm

Timeframe: Baseline: Day 1 of study, Final: Day 8 of study

Accuracy on the matrix reasoning task

Timeframe: Daily over 8 days throughout study intervention

WASO on the PSG

Timeframe: Baseline sleep, first short sleep, second short sleep.

MRS-derived GSH in the mPFC

Timeframe: Baseline: Day 1 of study, Final: Day 8 of study