Light Therapy and the Seasonal Affective Disorder

BackgroundSixty-eight patients with seasonal affective disorder participated in a 10 000-lux light treatment study in which two questions were addressed: do response rates differ when the light is applied at different times of the day and does short-term rank ordering of morning and evening light influence response rates?MethodThree groups of patients received a 4-day light treatment: (I) in the morning (8.00–8.30 a.m., n = 14), (II) in the afternoon (1.00–1.30 p.m., n = 15) or (III) in the evening (8.00–8.30 p.m., n = 12). Two additional groups of patients received two days of morning light treatment followed by two days of evening light (IV, n = 13) or vice versa (V, n = 14).ResultsResponse rates for groups I, II and III were 69, 57 and 80% respectively, with no significant differences between them. Response rates for groups IV and V were 67 and 50% respectively; this difference was not significant and these percentages did not differ significantly from those of groups I and III.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the timing of light treatment is not critical and that short-term rank ordering of morning and evening light does not influence therapeutic outcome.

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Melatonine en stemmingsstoornissen

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1017/s0924270800037376 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 75-79

Author(s):

J. Beullens

Keyword(s):

Pineal Gland ◽

Affective Disorder ◽

Premenstrual Syndrome ◽

Affective Disorders ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Melatonin Level ◽

Melatonin Secretion ◽

The Relationship

SummaryMelatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland mainly during the night. The discovery that this melatonin secretion decreases under the influence of bright light, gave rise to the use of light therapy in some affective disorders. The literature on the relationship between melatonin secretion and mood is reviewed concerning seasonal affective disorder, non-seasonal affective disorder and premenstrual syndrome. Light therapy could reduce an abnormal high melatonin secretion back to normal proportions. None of the affective disorders, however, is accompanied by an unusual high melatonin level. Nevertheless, light therapy as well as other therapies that suppress melatonin have a therapeutic effect. This is not the case with the administration of melatonin. Mood is not affected by extra melatonin in seasonal affective disorder but it is in both other affective disorders. Melatonin plays a part in the pathogenesis of the affective disorders but it is not yet clear which one.

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The Diagnosis, Symptomatology, and Epidemiology of Seasonal Affective Disorder

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900019593 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 625-634 ◽

Cited By ~ 99

Author(s):

Andres Magnusson ◽

Timo Partonen

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorder ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Therapy ◽

International Classification Of Diseases ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽

Northern Latitudes ◽

Classification Of Diseases ◽

Operational Criteria

AbstractThe operational criteria for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) have undergone several changes since first proposed in 1984. SAD is currently included as a specifier of either bipolar or recurrent major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition has provisional diagnostic criteria for SAD. The most characteristic quality of SAD is that the symptoms usually present during winter and remit in the spring. Furthermore, the symptoms tend to remit when the patients are exposed to daylight or bright light therapy. The cognitive and emotional symptoms are as in other types of depression but the vegetative symptoms are the reverse of classic depressive vegetative symptoms, namely increased sleep and increased appetite. SAD is a common condition, but the exact prevalence rates vary between different studies and countries and is consistently found to be more common in women and in youth. SAD probably possibly occurs in children although not as commonly as in young adults. Some studies have found that certain ethnic groups who live at high northern latitudes may have adapted to the long arctic winter.

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P01.02 Light therapy for treatment indications other than seasonal affective disorder

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(00)94413-4 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 15 (S2) ◽

pp. 321s-321s

Author(s):

A. Neumeister ◽

A. Graf ◽

M. Willeit ◽

S. Kasper

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorder ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Treatment Indications

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Effects of tryptophan depletion and catecholamine depletion on immune parameters in patients with seasonal affective disorder in remission with light therapy

Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0006-3223(02)01453-1 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 332-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Jürgen Stastny ◽

Anastasios Konstantinidis ◽

Markus J Schwarz ◽

Norman E Rosenthal ◽

Oliver Vitouch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorder ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Tryptophan Depletion ◽

Immune Parameters

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Seasonal Affective Disorder and Light Therapy

Sleep Medicine Clinics ◽

10.1016/j.jsmc.2008.01.012 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 307-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Brenda Byrne ◽

George C. Brainard

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorder ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Light Therapy

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Direct Health Care Costs of Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Comparison of Light Therapy and Fluoxetine

Depression Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2012/628434 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amy Cheung ◽

Carolyn Dewa ◽

Erin E. Michalak ◽

Gina Browne ◽

Anthony Levitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Affective Disorder ◽

Health Care Costs ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Major Depressive Episodes ◽

Depressive Episodes ◽

Care Costs

Objective.To compare the direct mental health care costs between individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder randomized to either fluoxetine or light therapy.Methods.Data from the CANSAD study was used. CANSAD was an 8-week multicentre double-blind study that randomized participants to receive either light therapy plus placebo capsules or placebo light therapy plus fluoxetine. Participants were aged 18–65 who met criteria for major depressive episodes with a seasonal (winter) pattern. Mental health care service use was collected for each subject for 4 weeks prior to the start of treatment and for 4 weeks prior to the end of treatment. All direct mental health care services costs were analysed, including inpatient and outpatient services, investigations, and medications.Results.The difference in mental health costs was significantly higher after treatment for the light therapy group compared to the medication group—a difference of $111.25 (z=−3.77,P=0.000). However, when the amortized cost of the light box was taken into the account, the groups were switched with the fluoxetine group incurring greater direct care costs—a difference of $75.41 (z=−2.635,P=0.008).Conclusion.The results suggest that individuals treated with medication had significantly less mental health care cost after-treatment compared to those treated with light therapy.

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