Bright Light Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: An Overview of the Background and Evidence

Figure 1

The input of the biological clock by zeitgebers is both decreased and conflicted due to various motor and non-motor symptoms in PD. Dopamine depletion due to PD disrupts circadian clock gene expression, and its treatment with levodopa influences both sleep structure and sympathetic activity. These factors all alter output of the biological clock: there is a phase advance and flattening of the circadian rhythm as displayed by hormone levels and sympathetic activity. In turn, the alteration of circadian rhythmicity has a negative influence on (input of) the biological clock, leading to a downward spiral resulting in sleep disturbances and depression.