ReviewThe Psychiatric quarterly2026
Light Treatment for PTSD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in The Psychiatric quarterly, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of light therapy in reducing PTSD symptoms across six randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including 312 participants. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated, revealing a large pooled effect of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.39, p < 0.001), with low to moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 28.3%, p = 0.23). Subgroup analyses by intervention type—blue light vs. amber light (SMD = 1.27), bright light vs. sham/dim light (SMD = 1.19), and white/green light vs. other controls (SMD = 1.14), showed consistent substantial effects, with no significant differences between subgroups (p = 0.68). Sensitivity analyses excluding high-risk studies confirmed robustness (SMD = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.36). Funnel plot symmetry and Egger’s test (p = 0.45) indicated no publication bias. Light therapy improved objective sleep metrics and depressive symptoms, suggesting broader therapeutic potential. Limitations include the small number of studies, variable protocols, and high-income country focus. These findings support light therapy as a promising, non-invasive intervention for PTSD, with minimal adverse effects. Future research should standardize protocols and explore long-term efficacy in diverse populations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41627612What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.