Home › Research › Caregiving
Effect of bright light and melatonin on cognitive and noncognitive function in elderly residents of group care facilities: a randomized controlled trial
Riemersma-van der Lek RF, Swaab DF, Twisk J, Hol EM, Hoogendijk WJ, Van Someren EJ.. JAMA, 2008-06-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Circadian rhythm disturbances have been associated with these symptoms. Results Light attenuated cognitive deterioration by a mean of 0.9 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-1.71) on the Mini-Mental State Examination or a relative 5%.
Key findings
- Circadian rhythm disturbances have been associated with these symptoms.
- Results Light attenuated cognitive deterioration by a mean of 0.9 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-1.71) on the Mini-Mental State Examination or a relative 5%.
Why it matters
In this randomized trial in group care facilities, bright light slightly slowed cognitive decline on a test score, a relative difference of about 5%. This is a small effect on symptoms in a specific setting and does not show that light treats, cures or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Caregiving →
Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Effect size3.5%; 0.8%; 6.1%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 71/100
Published in a top-tier journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (JAMA) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | JAMA: journal h-index 1,011 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 803 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 40.1 citations a year over 20 year(s) since 2008 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 17.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 105 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Rixt F. Riemersma‐van der Lek: h-index 14 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences: institution h-index 425 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | PubMed indexes it as a multicentre study |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18544724) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 71 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Riemersma-van der Lek, R. F., Swaab, D. F., Twisk, J., Hol, E. M., Hoogendijk, W. J., & Van Someren, E. J. (2008). Effect of bright light and melatonin on cognitive and noncognitive function in elderly residents of group care facilities: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.299.22.2642
Vancouver
Riemersma-van der Lek RF, Swaab DF, Twisk J, Hol EM, Hoogendijk WJ, Van Someren EJ. Effect of bright light and melatonin on cognitive and noncognitive function in elderly residents of group care facilities: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008. doi:10.1001/jama.299.22.2642. PMID: 18544724.
BibTeX
@article{riemersmavanderlek2008-18544724,
author = {Riemersma-van der Lek, R. F. and Swaab, D. F. and Twisk, J. and Hol, E. M. and Hoogendijk, W. J. and Van Someren, E. J.},
title = {{Effect of bright light and melatonin on cognitive and noncognitive function in elderly residents of group care facilities: a randomized controlled trial}},
journal = {JAMA},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1001/jama.299.22.2642},
pmid = {18544724},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.299.22.2642}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
6 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.