title: Light therapy increases visual contrast sensitivity in seasonal affective disorder.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of light therapy on visual contrast sensitivity in patients with seasonal affective disorder (n=10) and healthy control subjects (n=10). Static and dynamic visual contrast sensitivity was measured using a Venus system before and after 4 weeks of light therapy (10,000 lux, 30 min, 5 times a week). Light therapy increased static visual contrast sensitivity in the patients. We found no significant difference between the patients and controls either before or after light therapy. These results raise the possibility that light therapy induces retinal sensitization in seasonal affective disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u.6, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary. szaboz@nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antal
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tokaji
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kálmán
authors.forename: Szabolcs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kéri
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benedek
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Janka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014796:Visual Perception