Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder the Effects of Timing

1995 ◽  
Vol 166 (5) ◽  
pp. 607-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Meesters ◽  
J. H. C. Jansen ◽  
D. G. M. Beersma ◽  
A. L. Bouhuys ◽  
R. H. Van Den Hoofdakker
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Light Treatment ◽  
Therapeutic Outcome ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Rank Ordering ◽  
Term Rank

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.

Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Review

1995 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 457-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin M Tam ◽  
Raymond W Lam ◽  
Anthony J Levitt
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Fluorescent Light ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Combination Treatments

Objective To review the status of current treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Method Treatment studies of SAD published between January 1989 and March 1995 were identified using a computerized MEDLINE literature search. Additional citations were obtained from the reference sections of these articles. Studies included in this review were selected using operational methodologic criteria. Results Many studies support the efficacy of bright light therapy using a fluorescent light box. The best studied protocol is >2500 lux white light for 2 hours per day, but newer protocols using 10,000 lux for 30 minutes have comparable response rates. Studies of light visors and other head-mounted devices also report similar response rates, but have not yet shown superiority over putative control conditions. There are fewer medication studies in SAD, but controlled studies suggest that fluoxetine, d-fenfluramine and propranolol are effective. Other treatments such as dawn simulation require further study. No studies of psychological treatments for SAD were found. Many studies had methodologic limitations, including brief treatment periods, small sample sizes, and lack of replication, that limit the generalizability of findings. Conclusion There are several well-studied, effective treatments for SAD, including light therapy and medications. However, further research must be done to demonstrate sustained treatment response over time, to clarify the intensity-response relationship of light therapy, to clarify the role of light therapy and medications, and to assess combination treatments.

Light therapy increases visual contrast sensitivity in seasonal affective disorder

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Szabó ◽  
Andrea Antal ◽  
Zsolt Tokaji ◽  
János Kálmán ◽  
Szabolcs Kéri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Visual Contrast ◽  
Visual Contrast Sensitivity

Will light brighten the future of the depressed patient?

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.H. Van Den Hoofdakker ◽  
M.C.M. Gordijn
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Bright Light ◽  
Light Treatment ◽  
Psychosocial Variable ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Treatment Experiment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Therapeutic Possibilities

The present explosive growth of interest in the therapeutic possibilities of exposure to light was triggered by a patient, Herbert Kern. He suffered from episodic depressive and manic complaints and discovered, by registering these over the years, a seasonal pattern in their occurrence. Discussions with scientists of the NIMH resulted in his participation in a bright light-treatment experiment when he was depressed in the winter of 1980-1981. He recovered.Next, the same group of investigators defined the criteria for a new syndrome, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): a history of major affective disorder (according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria), at least two consecutive years in which the depressions have occurred during fall or winter and remitted in the following spring or summer, and the absence of any clear-cut seasonally changing psychosocial variable, such as work, stress and so on.

Greater Improvement in Summer Than With Light Treatment in Winter in Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder

1998 ◽  
Vol 155 (11) ◽  
pp. 1614-1616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teodor T. Postolache ◽  
Todd A. Hardin ◽  
Frances S. Myers ◽  
Erick H. Turner ◽  
Ludy Y. Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Light Treatment

Melatonine en stemmingsstoornissen

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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