title: Is there a difference in clinical efficacy of bright light therapy for different types of depression? A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is growing interest in the possible applications of Bright Light Therapy (BLT). BLT might be a valid alternative or add-on treatment for many other psychiatric disorders beyond seasonal affective disorder. This pilot study aims to examine whether the efficacy of Bright Light Therapy (BLT) is similar for different subtypes of mood disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 48 newly admitted outpatients with major depressive disorder with either melancholic features (n=20) or atypical features (n=28). Morning BLT was administered daily for 30 min at 5.000-10.000 lx on working days for up to 3 consecutive weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' depressive symptoms improved significantly after BLT (p<.05, d=-.53). The effects of BLT remained stable across a 4 week follow-up. There were no significant differences in efficacy of BLT between groups (p>.05). No effect of seasonality on the improvement in depressive symptoms after BLT was found, (p=.781).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study had a small sample size and lacked a control condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that BLT could be a promising treatment for depression, regardless of the melancholic or atypical character of the depressive symptoms.
authors: Parnassia Groep, PsyQ, Department of Mood Disorders and Chronobiology, Lijnbaan 4, The Hague, the Netherlands. Electronic address: t.naus@psyq.nl.
authors: Tess
authors: T
authors: Naus
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Burger
authors: Ayse
authors: A
authors: Malkoc
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Molendijk
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Haffmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012621:Seasons; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Bright light therapy; Major depression; Seasonality