Light treatment in seasonal and nonseasonal depression

Ninety patients with major depressive disorder were classified according to seasonal (n= 68, 50 women) or nonseasonal (n= 22, 17 women) pattern according to DSM‐III‐R. They were also clinically evaluated and rated before and after morning (0600–0800. or evening (1800–2000. light treatment for 10 days in a room with a luminance of 350 cd/m2 (∼ 1500 lx) at eye level. Mood ratings were performed using both the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Depressed patients with seasonal pattern improved significantly more than those with a nonseasonal pattern suggesting a specific nonplacebo effect of light treatment in depressed patients with seasonal pattern. There were no significant differences in outcome when light treatment was given in the morning or in the evening, and not between patients with and without atypical symptoms such as carbohydrate craving or increased appetite.

[1]  A. Wirz-Justice.  Light therapy for depression: present status, problems, and perspectives. , 1986, Psychopathology.

[2]  G. Dunbar,et al.  A study comparing paroxetine placebo and imipramine in depressed patients. , 1993, Journal of affective disorders.

[3]  M. Hamilton,et al.  Development of a rating scale for primary depressive illness. , 1967, The British journal of social and clinical psychology.

[4]  M. Åsberg,et al.  A COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL RATING SCALE , 1978, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[5]  Bright light treatment: are we keeping our subjects in the dark? , 1990, Sleep.

[6]  Problems and Prospects for use of Bright Light as a Therapeutic Intervention , 1993 .

[7]  R. Wever,et al.  The Circadian System of Man: Results of Experiments Under Temporal Isolation , 1979 .

[8]  A. Lewy,et al.  Bright artificial light treatment of a manic-depressive patient with a seasonal mood cycle. , 1982, The American journal of psychiatry.

[9]  K. L. Tan,et al.  Clinical experience with phototherapy. , 1989, Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore.

[10]  F. Goodwin,et al.  Seasonal affective disorder. A description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. , 1984, Archives of general psychiatry.

[11]  T. Wehr,et al.  Phototherapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder , 1988, Journal of biological rhythms.

[12]  D A Newsome,et al.  Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans. , 1980, Science.

[13]  L. Wetterberg,et al.  Melatonin in relation to body measures, sex, age, season and the use of drugs in patients with major affective disorders and healthy subjects , 1984, Psychoneuroendocrinology.

[14]  L. Wetterberg,et al.  Light Treatment of Depressive States: Swedish Experiences at Latitude 59° North , 1993 .

[15]  M. Bauer,et al.  Mood and behavioral effects of four-week light treatment in winter depressives and controls. , 1994, Journal of psychiatric research.

[16]  J. Jansen,et al.  Morning and evening light treatment of seasonal affective disorder: response, relapse and prediction. , 1993, Journal of affective disorders.

[17]  A placebo-controlled trial of light treatment for winter depression. , 1992, Journal of affective disorders.

[18]  M Terman,et al.  Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder. A review of efficacy. , 1989, Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

[19]  D. J. Mullaney,et al.  Circadian rhythm disorders in manic-depressives. , 1978, Biological psychiatry.

[20]  C. Eastman.  What the placebo literature can tell us about light therapy for SAD. , 1990, Psychopharmacology bulletin.

[21]  T. Wehr,et al.  Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder with Light in the Evening , 1985, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[22]  S. Dager,et al.  Bright light treatment of winter depression: morning versus evening light , 1990, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica.

[23]  H. Volz,et al.  Blood serotonin, serum melatonin and light therapy in healthy subjects and in patients with nonseasonal depression , 1992, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica.

[24]  Lennart Wetterberg,et al.  Light and biological rhythms in man , 2014 .

[25]  D. Kripke,et al.  Therapeutic Effects of Bright Light in Depressed Patients a , 1985, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[26]  Lee J. Grota,et al.  Effects of bright incandescent light on seasonal and nonseasonal major depressive disorder , 1986, Psychiatry Research.

[27]  S. Dager,et al.  Morning or evening bright light treatment of winter depression? The significance of hypersomnia , 1991, Biological Psychiatry.

[28]  D. Kripke,et al.  Phototherapy for Depressive Disorders: A Review * , 1989, Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie.

[29]  D. M. White,et al.  Morning vs evening light treatment for winter depression. Evidence that the therapeutic effects of light are mediated by circadian phase shifts. , 1990, Archives of general psychiatry.

[30]  Daniel F. Kripke,et al.  Controlled trial of bright light for nonseasonal major depressive disorders , 1992, Biological Psychiatry.

[31]  H. Volz,et al.  Effect of bright white light therapy on non-seasonal depressive disorder. Preliminary results. , 1990, Journal of affective disorders.

[32]  A. Wirz-Justice,et al.  Light therapy in seasonal affective disorder is independent of time of day or circadian phase. , 1993, Archives of general psychiatry.