Newswise — TROY, N.Y. — With the support of a recent $3 million grant renewal from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Mariana Figueiro is perfecting a treatment she developed for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias that helps to regulate sleep and reduce symptoms of depression — and requires no drugs, only light.
With over 20 years of study and success in real-world settings, Figueiro, the director of the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has demonstrated that providing light exposure of certain amounts and qualities throughout the day improves sleep patterns, sociability, and agitation, while decreasing symptoms of depression.
“What we have proven is that light therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that makes a significant difference in the overall health of older adults living with…
