Controlled trial of naturalistic dawn simulation and negative air ionization for seasonal affective disorder.

Objective: This trial assessed two novel nonpharmaceutical treatments for winter depression-naturalistic dawn simulation and high-density negative air ionization-delivered during the final hours of sleep.

Method: The patients were 99 adults (77 women and 22 men) with the winter seasonal pattern of major depressive disorder (94 cases) and bipolar II disorder (five cases). Five parallel groups received 1) dawn simulation (0.

Controlled trial of bright light and negative air ions for chronic depression.

Background: This randomized controlled trial investigates the efficacy of two non-pharmacologic treatments, bright light and high-density negative air ions for non-seasonal chronic depression. Both methods have shown clinical success for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Method: Patients were 24 (75%) women and 8 (25%) men, ages 22-65 years (mean age +/- S.

Light therapy for seasonal and nonseasonal depression: efficacy, protocol, safety, and side effects.

Bright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been investigated and applied for over 20 years. Physicians and clinicians are increasingly confident that bright light therapy is a potent, specifically active, nonpharmaceutical treatment modality. Indeed, the domain of light treatment is moving beyond SAD, to nonseasonal depression (unipolar and bipolar), seasonal flare-ups of bulimia nervosa, circadian sleep phase disorders, and more.

Randomized clinical trial of bright light therapy for antepartum depression: preliminary findings.

Background: Bright light therapy was shown to be a promising treatment for depression during pregnancy in a recent open-label study. In an extension of this work, we report findings from a double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study.

Method: Ten pregnant women with DSM-IV major depressive disorder were randomly assigned from April 2000 to January 2002 to a 5-week clinical trial with either a 7000 lux (active) or 500 lux (placebo) light box.

Dimensions of temperament and bright light response in seasonal affective disorder.

Scale scores on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ)-novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), and reward dependence (RD)-can predict response to antidepressants. This study examined 89 patients with Bipolar Disorder (I, II) or Major Depressive Disorder, both with recurrent winter seasonal pattern. The TPQ was administered while the patients were depressed, following 10-14 days of bright light therapy (30 min, 10,000 lux) and after spontaneous springtime remission.

An open trial of morning light therapy for treatment of antepartum depression.

Objective: About 5% of pregnant women meet criteria for major depression. No pharmacotherapy is specifically approved for antepartum depression; novel treatment approaches may be welcome. The authors explored the use of morning bright light therapy for antepartum depression.

Depressive symptomatology differentiates subgroups of patients with seasonal affective disorder.

Patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may vary in symptoms of their depressed winter mood state, as we showed previously for nondepressed (manic, hypomanic, hyperthymic, euthymic) springtime states [Goel et al., 1999]. Identification of such differences during depression may be useful in predicting differences in treatment efficacy or analyzing the pathogenesis of the disorder.