Morning and evening light treatment of seasonal affective disorder: response, relapse and prediction.
Patients with seasonal affective disorder were randomly assigned to treatment with light in the morning (9.00-12.00 a.m.; n = 16; ML) or evening (6.00-9.00 p.m.; n = 11; EL). An intensive 24-day assessment procedure revealed the same response rates: 57% for ML, 50% for EL. During the rest of the winter season a relatively low relapse rate of 54% was found. No differences between ML and EL were found in the time course of depressed mood or fatigue. A significant negative correlation was found between diurnal variation during baseline and therapeutic response: the larger the diurnal variation the less the response, indicating a potential negative predictive value for this symptom. There were no significant correlations between baseline fatigue or hypersomnia and response.
Meesters
Y
Y
Department of Biological Psychiatry, Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Jansen
J H
JH
Lambers
P A
PA
Bouhuys
A L
AL
Beersma
D G
DG
van den Hoofdakker
R H
RH
D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000150:complications; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index