Development of winter depression and the effect of light therapy

Since Rosenthal et al published their first study about the effects of light treatment on mood in patients suffering from winter depression, many research centres have become interested in the study and treatment of seasonal affective disorders (SAD), one of them being the department of Biological Psychiatry in Groningen. In 1987, we started the first experiments under the inspiring direction of Prof. Rudi van den Hoofdakker and hundreds of patients have participated in various investigations ever since.

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Light therapy and the management of winter depression

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment ◽

10.1192/apt.10.3.233 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 233-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

John M. Eagles

Keyword(s):

Affective Disorder ◽

Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽

Antidepressant Medication ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Significant Degree ◽

Winter Depression ◽

Effectiveness Prediction ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

General Aspects ◽

The Uk

Much the most common type of seasonal affective disorder at temperate latitudes is recurrent winter depression, which probably affects around 3% of adults in the UK to a clinically significant degree. In this article, diagnosis and presentation are discussed and symptoms are contrasted with those of non-seasonal depression. Aetiology and epidemiology, with regard to age, gender and latitude of residence, are described. Sufferers are often treated with light therapy, and this is described in some detail, with mention of effectiveness, prediction of outcome, timescales of response, side-effects, use of lightboxes and alternatives to lightboxes. Other general aspects of the management of seasonal affective disorder, including the use of antidepressant medication, are also outlined.

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Winter Depression Recurrence One Year After Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Light Therapy, or Combination Treatment

Behavior Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.beth.2008.06.004 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 225-238 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Kelly J. Rohan ◽

Kathryn A. Roecklein ◽

Timothy J. Lacy ◽

Pamela M. Vacek

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽

Combination Treatment ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Winter Depression ◽

One Year

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Light stimulation into dorsal raphe nucleus contributes to antidepressant effect for a stressed rat model

10.1101/821421 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaotao Li

Keyword(s):

Rat Model ◽

Dorsal Raphe Nucleus ◽

Bright Light ◽

Light Therapy ◽

Dorsal Raphe ◽

Raphe Nucleus ◽

Antidepressant Effect ◽

Seasonal Depression ◽

Dorsal Raphé ◽

Effect Of Light

AbstractBackgroundLight therapy is frequently demonstrated by clinical trials to be effective to seasonal or non-seasonal major depression. However, the pathway underlying the light effect on mood remains unclear. Since a retino-raphe pathway was previously indicated to modulate 5-HT production, we hypothesize that the retinal projection into dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) may play an important role in the light therapy for depression.MethodsA rat model of 14-day corticosterone administration (40 mg/kg/day subcutaneous injection) was mainly used to test the effect of light therapy on non-seasonal depressant-like behavior, and the involved neural circuitry and neurochemistry as well.ResultsBehavior results revealed that the bright light therapy especially with the blue light of 470 nm and 400 lux, effectively reversed the depression-like responses in those stressed rats. After elimination of retino-raphe projection using immunotoxin (Saporin) the effect of light therapy was significantly attenuated. Whereas activation of retino-raphe projection using HM3q chemogenetics was shown an effect similar to fluoxetine treatment. Furthermore, 5-HT3A positive GABA cells in the DRN were activated with high c-Fos expression that involved in an inhibition of 5-HT synthesis and a subsequent depressive behavior. While light therapy through retino-raphe projection deactivated the hyperaction of those GABA cells in the DRN; that eventually contributed to the antidepressant effect from light therapy.ConclusionsOur results indicate that the retino-raphe circuitry engaged antidepressant effect in DRN that contributed to the light therapy to the non-seasonal depression. 5-HT3A positive GABA cells in DRN was indicated to mediate this function of retino-raphe projection.

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