SBIR-STTR Award

Aging Americans often suffer from sleep and mood disorders. Above age 60, the most common pattern includes early awakening and evening drowsiness, often associated with the depressive symptoms of depletion and withdrawal. New evidence indicates that these symptoms are often caused by a phase advance of the circadian system, and more generally, by poor synchronization of circadian rhythms in the aging population. Inadequate lighting in the evening, when most seniors watch television, may be a primary cause. As a solution, Apollo Light Systems will design a new Seniors' Luminaire based on light pipe and compact fluorescent technology. Under subcontract, UCSD collaborators will test the new Seniors Luminaire at levels Date of 25, 100, and 250 lux in the homes of 30 volunteers. One week of baseline and 4 treatment weeks will be observed, using sleep and mood questionnaires supplemented by recordings of wrist activity and illumination, to objectively measure sleep. The new technology may potentially relieve symptoms for millions of Senior American citizens and save hundreds of millions of dollars annually in energy costs.

Thesaurus Terms:
aging, circadian rhythm, diagnosis design /evaluation, human old age (65+), mood disorder, sleep disorder depression, fluorescence, light intensity, melatonin, sleep, wakefulness clinical research, diagnostic test, human subject, polysomnography, questionnaire, urinalysis

Most older Americans are troubled by insomnia or low-level depression, which are often intimately intertwined, causing enormous disability and economic loss. Available treatment methods for these often-chronic conditions have been unsatisfactory. Insomnia and depression in the elderly may be partly due to circadian rhythm malsynchronization preventable by improved lighting. Apollo Light Systems, Inc. has developed a special Senior's Luminaire (a floor lamp) to reduce sleep and mood problems of aging Americans. In Phase I, investigational prototypes at 3 different brightness levels were tested in the homes of volunteers over age 60 years. Volunteers reported the Senior's Luminaires reduced insomnia and depression, and wanted to continue using them. Acceptance and efficacy of the Phase I prototypes was remarkably encouraging. In this Phase II STTR proposal, Apollo Light Systems will construct an improved series of Senior's Luminaire prototypes. New prototypes will be evaluated in 60 aging volunteers to demonstrate the efficacy of the Senior's Luminaire contrasted with placebo luminaires. The project will demonstrate that the Senior's Luminaire reduces insomnia and improves mood. Biological efficacy for shifting advanced circadian rhythms will be demonstrated by analyzing urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. There is a potential market for millions of improved luminaires to improve the lives of aging Americans. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Over 10,000,000 aging Americans have symptoms of insomnia or depression which might be reduced by the Seniors' Luminaire. The potential market is demonstrated by sale of over 40,000,000 halogen torchiere lamps, considering that the Seniors' Luminaire provides 7 times more light with less than 25% the energy cost. It is a superior design which might be purchased for tens of millions of American homes.

Thesaurus Terms:
aging, biomedical equipment development, circadian rhythm, geriatric medicine, human therapy evaluation, mood disorder, phototherapy, sleep disorder depression, fluorescence, light intensity, melatonin, sleep, wakefulness bioengineering /biomedical engineering, clinical research, human old age (65+), human subject, polysomnography, questionnaire, urinalysis