title: A pilot study of bright light therapy in schizophrenia.
abstract: Negative symptoms and episodes of major depressive disorder in patients with schizophrenia are common and there is an overlap in symptoms. Unfortunately, there is no effective primary treatment for negative symptoms yet. Depressive disorder in patients with schizophrenia is associated with a decreased quality of life and an increased risk of psychotic relapses. Previous research has shown that Bright Light Therapy (BLT) has a positive impact on negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Our aim was to investigate the feasibility and the effect of Bright Light Therapy in a severely ill population of patients who were admitted to a closed ward. This pilot study was a single center, open label add-on trial with two control groups and included 20 patients.
  
  
  
  Neither negative nor positive symptoms were affected. However, there was a trend towards increase on the general psychopathology scale of the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale in the BLT group. BLT did not change daily mood ratings. One participant from the BLT group was withdrawn from the study due to a manic state possibly triggered by BLT. Patients participating in our study did not benefit from BLT. It was an additional burden on the participants and worsened general psychopathology at a follow-up. Based on this study, we did not find any beneficial effect of BLT for patients with schizophrenia.
authors: Parnassia Groep, The Hague, The Netherlands; Parnassia High Care Mangostraat, Mangostraat 1, 2553 KS, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: S.Roopram@parnassia.nl.
authors: Sheetal Madhvi
authors: SM
authors: Roopram
authors: Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands; Parnassia High Care Mangostraat, Mangostraat 1, 2553 KS, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.m.burger@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
authors: Andreas Michael
authors: AM
authors: Burger
authors: Parnassia Groep, The Hague, The Netherlands; Parnassia High Care Mangostraat, Mangostraat 1, 2553 KS, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: D.vanDijk@PsyQ.nl.
authors: Dyllis Aimée
authors: DA
authors: van Dijk
authors: Parnassia Groep, The Hague, The Netherlands; Parnassia High Care Mangostraat, Mangostraat 1, 2553 KS, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.haffmans@psyq.nl.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Enterman
authors: Parnassia Groep, The Hague, The Netherlands; Parnassia High Care Mangostraat, Mangostraat 1, 2553 KS, The Hague, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.enterman@parnassia.nl.
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Haffmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D017211:Treatment Failure