Scientific Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts millions worldwide, disrupting daily life and societal functioning. Approximately 7 in 10 individuals experience traumatic events, with a considerable amount (for instance 1 in 5 rape survivors) developing PTSD. PTSD arises when traumatic memories are inadequately integrated into context, leaving individuals in a persistent state of perceived danger. Current gold-standard treatments, such as exposure psychotherapy, are effective. Yet 33% of patients remain with a PTSD diagnosis after treatment, and treatment dropout rates are high.

Bright light therapy, a non-invasive and accessible intervention, has shown promise in alleviating PTSD symptoms. It improves sleep, stabilizes the biological clock, and reduces threat reactivity in the brain. However, its effects remain modest. Combining light therapy with exposure therapy could create a synergistic mechanism, enhancing extinction learning and promoting recovery. This innovative approach addresses the urgent need for more effective PTSD treatments.

Research Objectives

The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combining bright light therapy with exposure psychotherapy for PTSD. Specifically, it seeks to:

1. Assess whether combined light and exposure therapy leads to greater and faster symptom improvement compared to exposure therapy alone.
2. Determine the optimal timing of light therapy (prior to or overlapping with exposure therapy) to maximize therapeutic outcomes.

This research aspires to lay the groundwork for integrating light therapy into clinical practice, offering a cost-effective and accessible adjunctive treatment for PTSD.

Study Design and Methods

The study employs a multiple baseline design across three groups of PTSD patients:

1. Control group receiving exposure therapy only.
2. Group receiving four weeks of light therapy prior to exposure therapy.
3. Group receiving light therapy for two weeks prior and two weeks overlapping with exposure therapy.

Participants (n=33) will be recruited from a mental healthcare center, screened for eligibility, and assessed at baseline, during treatment, and post-treatment. PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and biological clock will be measured. Bright light therapy will involve 30-minute morning sessions at 10,000 lux, following Dutch guidelines. Statistical analysis will use linear mixed-effect models to evaluate symptom trends over time.

This project is open for student research internships, please contact one of the affiliated researchers.

Strategic Priorities

Translational, Interdisciplinary.

• exposure therapy
• extinction learning
• light therapy
• mental health
• ptsd

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