title: Dawn simulation treatment of winter depression: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine whether dawn simulation was superior to a shorter dimmer "placebo" dawn signal in treating winter depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, parallel design, 22 patients with winter depression were treated with either 1 week of a 2-hour dawn simulation peaking at 250 lux or 1 week of a 30-minute dawn simulation peaking at 0.2 lux. The subjects were told that they would receive either a "gradual" dawn or a "rapid" dawn reaching an intensity that would be dimmer than standard bright light treatment. At the end of both the baseline week and the treatment week, subjects were assessed in a blind manner with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the two dawn treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2-hour, 250-lux dawn simulation resulted in Hamilton depression scale scores that were significantly lower than scores after the 30-minute, 0.2-lux dawn simulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that dawn simulation is an effective treatment for winter depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bolte
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dager
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dunner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013472:Sunlight
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos