• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1998

Nowadays light therapy is accepted practice in the treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder. The author reviewed the practical aspects of light therapy, latest treatment research on optimal parameters of light therapy and the mechanisms of action of light therapy. Therapeutic efficacy of light therapy using light visors & dawn simulators has been suggested but further studies are needed to clarify the efficacy. The treatment most strongly supported by research studies is light therapy using a light box to administer bright white light (2500 lux for 2 hours or 10000 lux for 30 minutes). Although some patients may be selective responders to morning light exposure, the optimal timing of light exposure still remains controversial. In practice, generally the duration of exposure can be increased or decreased as necessary and also the timing of exposure can be splitted (e.g. AM/PM usage) if optimal response is obtained. For most, a positive response of light therapy is usually noted within $4{\sim}5\;days$ and optimal response is obtained within 2 weeks. Generally the relapse of symptom occurs within days of discontinuation of light therapy, so to prevent relapse, light therapy should be continued throughout the winter season for typical seasonal affective disorder. Side effects of light therapy appear to be mild and well tolerated. Several theories for the mechanisms of action of light therapy at the basis of seasonal affective disorder had been suggested but remain still controversial. Further studies on the optimal parameters and the mechanisms of light therapy help us to better understand and treat not only seasonal affective disorders but also chronobiological disorders and nonseasonal affective disorders.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2008

Light therapy (also called light treatment or phototherapy) involves scheduled exposure to bright artificial light. Evidence-based treatments for sleep disorders especially for circadian rhythm sleep disorders include light therapy and pharmacotherapy. In clinical practice, many of patients with sleep problems tend to impair circadian rhythmicity. Considering that light is the most potent entraining agent of circadian rhythm, careful use of light therapy can be recommended for patients with several kinds of sleep disorders. I briefly review the possible therapeutic mechanisms and clinical applications of light therapy, focusing on circadian sleep disorders.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.197-206
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of light therapy on sleep disturbance and depression in climacteric women with menopausal symptoms. Methods: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pre test-post test design. Data were collected from September 29, 2013 to November 11, 2013. Participants included 17 climacteric women in an artificial light therapy group, 17 climacteric women in a sun light therapy group and 16 climacteric women in a control group. Measures consisted of the sleep disturbance, depression, melatonin, and serotonin. Results: There was a statistically significant difference of Korean Sleep Scale A (F=53.87, p<.001), and melatonin (F=31.19, p<.001) among three groups. There was a statistically significant difference of Self-Rating Depression Scale (F=121.86, p<.001), and serotonin (F=102.37, p<.001) among three groups. Conclusion: Artificial and sun light therapy can be applied as a supportive nursing intervention to subjects with sleep disturbance and depression in climacteric women with menopausal symptoms. Artificial and sun light therapy is expected to be a complementary alternative intervention for health management of the subjects with sleep disturbance and depression in climacteric women with menopausal symptoms.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2015

Objectives : We report two cases of pressure ulcer patients to show the efficacy of treatment with acupuncture and Light Enitting Diode(LED) light therapy. Methods : We treated two pressure ulcer patients with acupuncture, LED light therapy, herbal medication and with a simple dressing. LED light with up to $4J/cm^2$ of energy irradiated the pressure ulcer site once a day for fifteen minutes. All patients received acupuncture treatment and simple dressing for wound care. We measured phase change of the pressure ulcer in terms of ulcer size, The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel(NPUAP) stage and with the The Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing(PUSH) tool(3.0). Results & Conclusions : In each of the two cases, pressure ulcer size and total score of the PUSH tool decreased and NPUAP stage was improved from II to I. This shows that acupuncture treatment and LED light therapy may have a considerable effect in healing on the pressure ulcer.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2014

Objective: The low level lasers currently in the market vary in wavelength, dosage, and frequency. These devices are used with much different clinical pathology. Most notably, some studies claim that wounds heal faster with low level laser therapy due to the fact that bacteria commonly found in wounds are killed by laser light. Systemic and meta-analysis studies found the difficulty of comparison of numerous research studies because of differences in the intensities and frequencies of low level laser treatment (LLLT). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of LLLT on controlling bacterial growth. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Variables included LLLT dosage and wavelength on 3 bacteria commonly seen in wounds, strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used on commercially available 5.0-cm agar plates. Blue, green, and red, ultraviolet (UV) and infrared laser light sources were adjusted to either low or high intensity settings. Five Petri dishes at a time were placed directly beneath laser light sources with the exception of UV which was placed six inches below the suspended light and infrared which was placed directly on top of the Petri dish lid. Each group of five Petri dishes was irradiated for 15 minutes. Results: The results showed no effect of any of 9 different LLLT intensities or colors on bacteria growth compared to sham light. Conclusions: At least for claims of bacterial growth inhibition with LLLT, no support for this claim can be found here.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2003

Isolated rat thoracic aorta which is pharmacologically precontracted by phenylephrine induces photorelaxation when exposed to long wave length UV-light. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism of UV-light induced by photorelaxation in the rat aorta. 1. UV light relaxed both endothelium-intact and -denuded rat aortic rings contracted by phenylephrine. The magnitude of relaxation on UV light was dependent on the exposure time and slightly greatly in endothelium-denuded rings than in endothelium-intact preparations. 2. L-NAME (10 nM - 100 $\mu$M) but not D-NAME completely inhibited the photorelaxation in a concentration dependent manner. 3. The UV-induced relaxation was inhibited by methylene blue (1 - 100 uM), and verapamil (100 nM), and removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. In contrast, UV-light induced photorelaxation was potentiated by $N^{w}$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) treatment. These results suggest that UV light-induced photorelaxation may be due to nitric oxide from exogenously administered L-arginine as well as endogenous nitric oxide donors such as amino acid and arginine derivatives

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 2000

The authors identified a treatment-resistant patient with chronic fatigue syndrome, characterized by chronic fatigue, headache, unrefreshing sleep. Some studies reported that chronic fatigue syndrome was associated with affective disorder, especially seasonal affective disorder and many studies reported that bright light therapy was effective in seasonal affective disorder. But efficacy of light therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome was rarely reported. We treated the patient with morning light treatment using 2500lux light box, the clinical symptoms in this case were improved. The authors suggest that the light therapy can be a treatment modality for chronic fatigue syndrome.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2003

Many people suffer from chronic insomnia. Inappropriate sleep causes attention difficulties, decreased work efficiency, and increased traffic accidents and disasters. Evaluating the precise causes of insomnia prior to treatment is very important, because chronic insomnia can be a secondary symptom of other medical, psychiatric, and sleep disorders. Medication and behavior therapy are not exclusive of each other, and both treatments are beneficial to some patients, but currently many physicians and patients tend to be dependent only on medication. While long-term medication causes various degrees of dependency, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms, behavior therapy has a stable effect over a long period. Behavior therapy is one of the most important treatment modalities for chronic insomnia. It shortens sleep latency, and decreases frequency of awakening during sleep. The rationale and practice of currently used behavior therapy and light therapy will be reviewed in this study.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 1999

Objectives: Patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder(or PMDD) have impairments of the social, occupational or academic function due to psychological or somatic symptoms, which have the characteristic pattern of symptom exacerbation in the week before menses begin and remission shortly after the onset of menses. In the chronobiological view, many researchers have assumed that the etiology of PMDD is the advanced circadian rhythm. It has been suggested that light has a therapeutic effect on PMDD, because evening light results in phase delay of circadian rhythm through the biochemical changes including melatonin. Methods: The authors investigated the therapeutic effect of light therapy on four patients with prospectively diagnosed PMDD by DSM-IV criteria using clinical psychiatric interview, Premenstrual Assessment Form(PAF) and Daily Rating Form(or DRF). In the evening(6:30pm-8:00pm), the 2,500 lux light administered for seven consecutive days during the symptomatic late luteal phase of menstrual cycle. Beck Depression Inventory(or BDI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(or HAM-D), Spielberg State Anxiety Inventory(or SA), and DRF were evaluated before and after seven days of light therapy. Results: Premenstrual symptoms of PMDD could be effectively treated with the evening bright light therapy, especially in PMDD patients with atypical symptoms. In addition, the light therapy seemed to more effective on the psychologic symptoms than the somatic symptoms of PMDD. There was no significant side-effect of light therapy, except the transient and mild eye-strain in one case. Conclusions: In spite of the results of limited data from our clinical trial, the authors suggest that the potential use of light therapy as an alternative to the pharmacological management of patients with PMDD.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.480-480
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• 2007

This paper performed the basic study for developing the light therapy equipment for medical treatment. We developed the equipment for medical therapy using a high brightness LED. This equipment was fabricated using a micro-controller and a high brightness LED, and designed to enable us to control light irradiation time, intensity, frequency and so on. Especially, to control the light irradiation frequency, and to control the change of output value, TLC5941 was used. Control stage is divided into 4 step by program. Consequently, the current value could be controlled by the change of level in Continue Wave(CW) and the output of a high brightness LED could be controlled, stage by stage.