Light Therapy for Seasonal and Nonseasonal Depression: Efficacy, Protocol, Safety, and Side Effects

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 647-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Terman ◽  
Jiuan Su Terman
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Antidepressant Medication ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
Residual Symptoms ◽  
Nonseasonal Depression ◽  
Individual Adjustment

AbstractBright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been investigated and applied for over 20 years. Physicians and clinicians are increasingly confident that bright light therapy is a potent, specifically active, nonpharmaceutical treatment modality. Indeed, the domain of light treatment is moving beyond SAD, to nonseasonal depression (unipolar and bipolar), seasonal flare-ups of bulimia nervosa, circadian sleep phase disorders, and more. Light therapy is simple to deliver to outpatients and inpatients alike, although the optimum dosing of light and treatment time of day requires individual adjustment. The side-effect profile is favorable in comparison with medications, although the clinician must remain vigilant about emergent hypomania and autonomic hyperactivation, especially during the first few days of treatment. Importantly, light therapy provides a compatible adjunct to antidepressant medication, which can result in accelerated improvement and fewer residual symptoms.

P.1.172 Bright light therapy in seasonal affective disorder — does it suffice?

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. S247-S248
Author(s):  
E. Pjrek ◽  
D. Winkler ◽  
A. Konstantinidis ◽  
N. Thierry ◽  
A. Heiden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Bright Light Therapy

Ophthalmologic Examination of Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder, Before and After Bright Light Therapy

1995 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAMELA F. GALLIN ◽  
MICHAEL TERMAN ◽  
CHARLOTTE E. REMÉ ◽  
BRIAN RAFFERTY ◽  
JIUAN SU TERMAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Ophthalmologic Examination

scholarly journals Brain monoamine oxidase A in seasonal affective disorder and treatment with bright light therapy

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Spies ◽  
Gregory M. James ◽  
Chrysoula Vraka ◽  
Cécile Philippe ◽  
Marius Hienert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoamine Oxidase ◽  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Monoamine Oxidase A ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
Brain Monoamine

scholarly journals Bright light therapy for symptoms of anxiety and depression in focal epilepsy: randomised controlled trial

2013 ◽  
Vol 202 (5) ◽  
pp. 352-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sallie Baxendale ◽  
John O'Sullivan ◽  
Dominic Heaney
Keyword(s):  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Focal Epilepsy ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
Low Intensity

BackgroundBright light therapy is an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder and non-seasonal depression. Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy.AimsTo examine the efficacy of bright light therapy for symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults with focal epilepsy (trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01028456).MethodWe recruited 101 adults with medically intractable focal epilepsy. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at the beginning (T1) and end of a 12-week baseline period (T2) and again after 12 weeks of daily light therapy (T3), with 51 participants using a high-intensity light box and 50 using a low-intensity one. Seizure diaries were kept throughout the baseline and trial period.ResultsA total of 58 patients completed the trial. Anxiety and depression scores were significantly reduced following the light therapy at T3in both the high- and low-intensity groups.ConclusionsLight therapy resulted in a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression but we did not find any differences between high- v. low-intensity treatment This may, therefore, be an effective treatment for symptoms of low mood in epilepsy at lower intensities than those typically used to treat seasonal affective disorder. Further work is needed to investigate this possibility with an adequate placebo condition.

scholarly journals Effects of Bright Light with Reduced Blue Light on Sleepiness on Rising: A Small Exploratory Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Miura ◽  
Tomonori Yuasa ◽  
Yasunori Sugai ◽  
Kana Yamagami ◽  
Yoshihisa Aizu
Keyword(s):  
Visible Light ◽  
Light Source ◽  
Short Wavelength ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Subjective Sleepiness ◽  
Short Wavelength Light

Bright light therapy is a treatment modality for seasonal affective disorder and circadian rhythm disorders in which artificial light of 2,500 lux or higher at the eye is effective. Although short-wavelength visible light is more effective than long-wavelength visible light, it may be hazardous to the retina. Recently, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been used as the light source in bright light therapy apparatuses. We developed goggles for bright light therapy equipped with LEDs as the light source. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of our goggles when emitting 10,000-lux light with its short-wavelength light content reduced by 30% or 50% (denoted as 30%-cut and 50%-cut light, respectively, henceforth). Six healthy young males participated in this study. They were administered no light, 50%-cut light, and 30%-cut light for 30 min early in the morning for 4 days each. Subjective sleepiness and sleep quality were evaluated by the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and the Oguri–Shirakawa–Azumi sleep inventory MA version (OSA-MA), respectively. Subjective sleepiness evaluated by the SSS and the subscale of the OSA-MA significantly decreased with 30%-cut light compared with no light. Psychomotor performance evaluated by a calculation task improved with the 30%-cut light, although not significant after multiple comparisons were considered. No abnormality was found by ophthalmoscopy and the vision test. In conclusion, our goggles with 30%-cut light may be safe and have an awakening effect.

Is Seasonal Affective Disorder a Disorder of Circadian Rhythms?

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 487-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H. Desan ◽  
Dan A. Oren
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythms ◽  
Phase Shift ◽  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Clinical Improvement ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Bright Light Therapy ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractSeasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that starts in the fall and ends in the spring. This article reviews existing theories about the relationship between circadian rhythms and the disorder. Recent research indicates that as with pharmacologic antidepressants, at least 2–4 weeks are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of bright-light therapy compared to placebo. The response to such treatment is strongest with precisely timed light exposure: treatment is optimal during the morning hours when the circadian systemt is susceptible to phase advance. Such clinical improvement is correlated with the magnitude of the phase shift induced. These observations suggest a model of circadian function in SAD and provide important guidelines for its treatment.

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