title: Abnormal dose-response melatonin suppression by light in bipolar type I patients compared with healthy adult subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Among potential endophenotypes proposed for bipolar affective disorder focusing on circadian abnormalities associated with the illness has particularly high face validity. Melatonin sensitivity to light is one circadian endophenotype proposed as useful in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate melatonin sensitivity to light over a range of light intensities in order to compare and contrast responses in bipolar I patients with those of healthy adult volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included seven patients (4 females, 3 males) with bipolar I disorder and 34 control participants (22 females, 12 males) with no personal or family history of affective illness. Melatonin sensitivity to light was determined in all patients and participants across a range of light intensities (0, 200, 500 and 1000 lux).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that patients showed melatonin super-sensitivity to light in comparison with controls, a response that was consistent across the entire light intensity range investigated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides further evidence for a super sensitive response in bipolar I patients and suggests that its potential usefulness as an endophenotypic marker of the illness is deserving of further research.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Hallam
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Denovan P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Begg
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Olver
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Trevor R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Norman