Post-traumatic stress disorder Psychiatric disorder that can develop after someone goes through a traumatic experience
Conditions
Interventions
Participants will be randomized to receive: 
(1) Treatment as usual with only exposure psychotherapy
 
(2) four weeks of light therapy prior to exposure psychotherapy
(3) four weeks of light therapy including two prior to exposure psychotherapy and two overlapping with the exposure psychotherapy. 
In two of the three arms, patients will receive light therapy in the morning for 30 min/day on 7 consecutive days. Treatment duration will be four weeks and will take place at home with light therapy
Sponsors
Universiteit Leiden
Eligibility
Age
18 Years to 64 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Age between 18 and 65 Current diagnosis of PTSD Indication for EMDR or imaginary exposureSufficient knowledge of Dutch or English languageProvided Informed consent
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: A current (hypo)manic or mixed episodeA current psychotic episodeProminent active suicidalityParticipants with bipolar disorder should be in mood-stabilizing treatment at a specialised unit for at least 1 monthUse of melatonin or agomelatine in the last monthCurrent use of antibioticsCurrent use of light sensitivity increasing medicationPre-existing eye and skin disorders (retinitis pigmentosa, porphyria, chronic actinic dermatitis and sun-induced urticaria)Systemic disorders with potential retinal involvement (rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus)Suffering from color blindness (assessed by self-report)Night shift workers who did regular night work (>1/week) in the last three months(Retinal) blindness, severe cataract and glaucomaLight-induced migraine or epilepsyPregnancy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The primary outcome is the course of PTSD symptom severity (PCL-5). | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Secondary outcome measures include speed of improvements in PTSD symptom severity, change in scores of depressive symptom severity, insomnia and shift in circadian rhythm. | — |
Countries
Netherlands
Contacts
Public ContactL. Nawijn
Universiteit Leiden
Outcome results
None listed