Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves insomnia symptoms in individuals with recurrent depression: secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Embedded within a randomized efficacy trial, the present study aimed to investigate whether mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for recurrent depression improved symptoms of insomnia. Methods: Sixty-eight remitted participants with at least three prior episodes of depression were randomized to 8 weeks of MBCT (n = 33) or a waitlist control condition (n = 35). The Bergen Insomnia Scale was used to screen for insomnia symptoms before and after the intervention. The analyses were conducted using one-way between-groups analyses of covariance. Results: Twenty-five MBCT participants and 30 waitlist controls completed the study (74.5% females; mean age 40.7 ± 12.9 years). At baseline, 83.6% screened positive for the insomnia diagnosis. Following the intervention and after controlling for corresponding insomnia parameters at baseline, MBCT completers reported significantly less severe insomnia symptoms (p = 0.017), as well as less problems with prolonged sleep onset (p = 0.047) and nocturnal awakenings (p = 0.023), relative to controls. No group differences were found on early morning awakening, daytime impairment, or dissatisfaction with sleep. Conclusion: The results suggest that MBCT improves certain insomnia symptoms. However, additional sleep-specific interventions may be needed to further improve this population's sleep.Clinical Trial Registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN18001392, registered 22/11/2018. URL: 10.1186/ISRCTN18001392.

How can light be used to optimize sleep and health in older adults?

Globally, society is aging and changes to the timing and quality of sleep are often observed in older adults (aged ≥65years). Good sleep quality, and sufficient sleep duration, is necessary to maintain good physical and psychological health, and strategies which optimize good sleep will be important in an aging society. Light has a very powerful effect upon sleep and circadian rhythms, and has specific advantages including the relative low cost, ease of administration and lack of interaction with other medications. For this reason, bright light treatment is a promising method for optimizing sleep and circadian rhythmicity in older adults. In this chapter, we examine whether bright light treatment could be used to optimize sleep, circadian rhythms, and health in older adults. We also outline a range of methodological considerations which need to be addressed to increase the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of light treatment in older adults.

Assessing Momentary Well-Being in People Living With Dementia: A Systematic Review of Observational Instruments.

Optimizing the possibility to lead good lives is at the core of treatment and care for people with dementia. This may be monitored by assessing well-being and quality of life. However, cognitive impairment following dementia may complicate recall-based assessment with questionnaires, and proxy-ratings from family-caregivers do not correspond well to self-reports. Thus, using observational measures represents a potentially advanced option. Systematic reviews evaluating measurement properties, interpretability and feasibility of observational instruments assessing well-being in people living with dementia are lacking. Thus, this review performed systematic searches to find peer reviewed validated instruments of relevance in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL and ProQuest. Twenty-two instruments assessing well-being were included for evaluation of measurement properties based on the systematic approach of the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). The evaluation included risk of bias on study level, and assessment of measurement properties on instrument level including content validity, construct validity, structural validity, internal consistency, measurement invariance, cross-cultural validity, measurement error and inter-rater/intra-rater/test-retest reliability and responsiveness. Additionally, the feasibility and interpretability of the measures were evaluated. No single instrument could be recommended based on existing publications. Thus, we provide general recommendations about further assessment and development of these instruments. Finally, we describe the most promising instruments and offer guidance with respect to their implementation and use in clinical and research contexts.

The Effect of Bright Light Treatment on Rest-Activity Rhythms in People with Dementia: A 24-Week Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Bright light treatment is an effective way to influence circadian rhythms in healthy adults, but previous research with dementia patients has yielded mixed results. The present study presents a primary outcome of the DEM.LIGHT trial, a 24-week randomized controlled trial conducted at nursing homes in Bergen, Norway, investigating the effects of a bright light intervention. The intervention consisted of ceiling-mounted LED panels providing varying illuminance and correlated color temperature throughout the day, with a peak of 1000 lx, 6000 K between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Activity was recorded using actigraphs at baseline and after 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Non-parametric indicators and extended cosine models were used to investigate rest-activity rhythms, and outcomes were analyzed with multi-level regression models. Sixty-one patients with severe dementia (median MMSE = 4) were included. After 16 weeks, the acrophase was advanced from baseline in the intervention group compared to the control group (B = -1.02, 95%; CI = -2.00, -0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups on any other rest-activity measures. When comparing parametric and non-parametric indicators of rest-activity rhythms, 25 out of 35 comparisons were significantly correlated. The present results indicate that ambient bright light treatment did not improve rest-activity rhythms for people with dementia.

The longitudinal association between the use of antihypertensive medications and 24-hour sleep in nursing homes: results from the randomized controlled COSMOS trial.

BACKGROUND: Antihypertensive medication use and sleep problems are highly prevalent in nursing home patients. While it is hypothesized that blood pressure and antihypertensive medication use can affect sleep, this has not been investigated in depth in this population. Alongside a multicomponent intervention including a systematic medication review, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between antihypertensive medication use, blood pressure and day- and night-time sleep over 4 months. METHODS: This study was based on secondary analyses from the multicomponent cluster randomized controlled COSMOS trial, in which the acronym denotes the intervention: COmmuncation, Systematic pain assessment and treatment, Medication review, Organization of activities and Safety. We included baseline and 4-month follow-up data from a subgroup of nursing home patients who wore actigraphs (n = 107). The subgroup had different levels of blood pressure, from low (< 120) to high (≥ 141). Assessments included blood pressure, antihypertensive medication use, and sleep parameters as assessed by actigraphy. RESULTS: We found a significant reduction in total sleep time at month four in the intervention group compared to the control group. When analysing the control group alone, we found a significant association between antihypertensive medication use and increased daytime sleep. We also found negative associations between blood pressure, antihypertensive medication use and sleep onset latency in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a correlation between excessive daytime sleep and antihypertensive medication use. These findings should be followed up with further research, and with clinical caution, as antihypertensive medications are frequently used in nursing homes, and sleep problems may be especially detrimental for this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02238652 ).

The effects of bright light treatment on affective symptoms in people with dementia: a 24-week cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The majority of people with dementia have behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), including depression, anxiety and agitation. These may be elicited or aggravated by disrupted circadian rhythms. Bright light treatment (BLT) is a promising non-pharmacological approach to the management of BPSD, but previous research has yielded mixed results. METHODS: Eight nursing home dementia units (1 unit = 1 cluster) with 78 patients were invited to participate in a cluster randomized controlled trial from September 2017 to April 2018 investigating the effects of BLT on sleep and circadian rhythms (primary outcome) and BPSD (secondary outcome). Ceiling mounted LED-panels were installed in the intervention group (four units), providing light at 1000 lx and 6000 K (vertically at 1.2 m) between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., with lower values in the mornings and evenings. Standard indoor light was used in the control group (four units). BPSD were assessed with The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH). Data collection took place at baseline and after 8, 16 and 24 weeks. Multilevel regression models with and without false discovery rate correction were used for the analysis, with baseline values and dementia stage entered as covariates. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were included in the study at baseline. Compared to the control group, the intervention group had a larger reduction on the composite scores of both the CSDD (95% CI = - 6.0 - - 0.3) and the NPI-NH (95% CI = - 2.2 - - 0.1), as well as on the NPI-NH Affect sub-syndrome, and the CSDD Mood related signs sub-scale at follow-up after 16 weeks. With FDR correction, the group difference was significant on the CSDD Mood related signs sub-scale (95% CI = - 2.7 - - 0.8) and the NPI-NH Affect sub-syndrome (95% CI = - 1.6 - - 0.2). No differences were found between conditions at weeks 8 or 24. CONCLUSION: Compared to the control condition, affective symptoms were reduced after 16 weeks in the group receiving BLT, suggesting BLT may be beneficial for nursing home patients with dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03357328 . Retrospectively registered on November 29, 2017.

Managing Pain and Psychosis Symptoms in Nursing Home Patients: Results from a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial (COSMOS).

OBJECTIVES: In nursing homes (NHs), 30% to 60% of patients experience daily pain and >80% have dementia. This can lead to neuropsychiatric symptoms, including psychosis symptoms such as delusion. We investigated if there was a relationship between pain and psychosis symptoms over time. We also aimed to investigate the effect of a multicomponent intervention (COSMOS) on pain, psychosis symptoms, and analgesic prescription. DESIGN: COSMOS is a cluster-randomized, single blinded, controlled trial. Each NH unit was defined as a cluster and randomized to either the COSMOS intervention or care as usual. The COSMOS intervention is a multicomponent intervention, consisting of staff training in communication, pain treatment, medication review, organization of activities, and safety. The intervention lasted for 4 months with a follow-up at month 9. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-seven units from 33 Norwegian NHs in 8 municipalities. The study included 723 patients aged ≥65 years, residing at the NH ≥2 weeks before inclusion. Patients with a life expectancy <6 months were excluded. MEASURES: Pain was measured using the Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia Pain Scale. Psychosis symptoms were measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-NH version. Measurements were performed at baseline, and months 4 and 9. RESULTS: Multilevel Mixed-Effect statistical analysis found that psychosis symptoms as a group (odds ratio [OR] 2.03, P = .009), and delusion (OR 2.12, P = .007) were associated with pain over time. No significant intervention effect on psychosis symptoms was observed. Compared with the control group, people with dementia in the intervention group experienced less musculoskeletal pain (ß: -0.47, P = .047). Analgesic prescription was not affected by the intervention. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Pain is associated with psychosis symptoms, and pain assessment should be done when making treatment decisions on psychosis symptoms in NH patients. The COSMOS intervention improved musculoskeletal pain in people with dementia, but not psychosis symptoms, and there is need for further studies on treatment of psychosis symptoms in NH patients.

Sleep and its Association With Pain and Depression in Nursing Home Patients With Advanced Dementia - a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: Previous research suggests a positive association between pain, depression and sleep. In this study, we investigate how sleep correlates with varying levels of pain and depression in nursing home (NH) patients with dementia. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study (n = 141) with sleep-related data, derived from two multicenter studies conducted in Norway. We included NH patients with dementia according to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE ≤ 20) from the COSMOS trial (n = 46) and the DEP.PAIN.DEM trial (n = 95) whose sleep was objectively measured with actigraphy. In the COSMOS trial, NH patients were included if they were ≥65 years of age and with life expectancy >6 months. In the DEP.PAIN.DEM trial, patients were included if they were ≥60 years and if they had depression according to the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD ≥ 8). In both studies, pain was assessed with the Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia-2 Pain Scale (MOBID-2), and depression with CSDD. Sleep parameters were total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), early morning awakening (EMA), daytime total sleep time (DTS) and time in bed (TiB). We registered use of sedatives, analgesics, opioids and antidepressants from patient health records and adjusted for these medications in the analyses. Results: Mean age was 86.2 years and 76.3% were female. Hierarchical regressions showed that pain was associated with higher TST and SE (p < 0.05), less WASO (p < 0.01) and more DTS (p < 0.01). More severe dementia was associated with more WASO (p < 0.05) and TiB (p < 0.01). More severe depression was associated with less TST (p < 0.05), less DTS (p < 0.01) and less TiB (p < 0.01). Use of sedative medications was associated with less TiB (p < 0.05). Conclusion: When sleep was measured with actigraphy, NH patients with dementia and pain slept more than patients without pain, in terms of higher total sleep time. Furthermore, their sleep efficiency was higher, indicating that the patients had more sleep within the time they spent in bed. Patients with more severe dementia spent more time awake during the time spent in bed. Furthermore, people with more severe depression slept less at daytime and had less total sleep time Controlling for concomitant medication use did not affect the obtained results.

Ambient bright light treatment improved proxy-rated sleep but not sleep measured by actigraphy in nursing home patients with dementia: a placebo-controlled randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Up to 70% of nursing home patients with dementia suffer from sleep problems. Light is the main zeitgeber to the circadian system and thus has a fundamental impact on sleep-wake behaviour. Low indoor light levels in nursing homes have been reported, and in combination with age-related reductions in light sensitivity, insufficient light exposure is likely to contribute to sleep problems in this population. Increasing daytime light exposure using bright light treatment (BLT) may represent a feasible non-pharmacological treatment for sleep problems in nursing home patients with dementia. METHODS: The present study reports on sleep outcomes, which are the primary outcomes of the DEM.LIGHT trial (Therapy Light Rooms for Nursing Home Patients with Dementia- Designing Diurnal Conditions for Improved Sleep, Mood and Behavioural Problems), a 24-week cluster-randomised placebo-controlled trial including 8 nursing home units and 69 resident patients. The intervention comprised ambient light of 1000 lx and 6000 K from 10:00 to 15:00, with gradually increasing and decreasing light levels prior to and following this interval, using ceiling mounted light-fixtures and light emitting diode technology. The placebo condition had continuous standard light levels (150-300 lx, ~ 3000 K). Sleep was assessed at baseline and follow-up at week 8, 16, and 24, using the proxy-rated Sleep Disorder Inventory (SDI) and actigraphy (Actiwatch II, Philips Respironics). Mixed linear models were used to evaluate intervention effects, adjusting for relevant covariates such as age, gender, number of drugs, severity of dementia, eye disease, and estimated light exposure. RESULTS: Sleep as measured by the SDI was significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group from baseline to week 16 (B = - 0.06, 95% CI -0.11 - -0.01, p < .05) and from baseline to week 24 (B = - 0.05, 95% CI -0.10 - -0.01, p < .05). There was no effect according to the SDI at week 8 and no significant effects in terms of actigraphically measured sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Proxy-rated sleep improved among nursing home patients with dementia following 16 and 24 weeks of BLT. These improvements were not corroborated by actigraphy recordings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03357328 . Registered 29 November 2017 - Retrospectively registered.