Light treatment for nonseasonal depression: speed, efficacy, and combined treatment.
BACKGROUND
Using bright light for treating major depressive disorders which are not seasonal needs reassessment.


METHODS
Clinical trials of light treatment for nonseasonal major depressive disorders were compared with selected trials of light treatment of winter depression and with antidepressant clinical drug trials.


RESULTS
Light treatment of nonseasonal depression produces net benefits in the range of 12-35%, often within 1 week.


CONCLUSIONS
Light's value for nonseasonal and seasonal depression are comparable. Light appears to produce faster antidepressant benefits than psychopharmacologic treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Direct randomizing comparisons between light and medications for nonseasonal depression are not available.


CONCLUSIONS
Bright light can be combined with standard therapies for treating nonseasonal depressions and appears synergistic.
Kripke
D F
DF
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0667, USA. dkripke@ucsd.edu
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010789:Phototherapy; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors