Relationship of morningness-eveningness questionnaire score to melatonin and sleep timing, body mass index and atypical depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women.

Previous work shows a relationship between measures of morning or evening preference (e.g., morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) scores) and melatonin and sleep timing, body mass index (BMI) and mood.

Increased sensitivity to light-induced melatonin suppression in premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Increased sensitivity to light-induced melatonin suppression characterizes some, but not all, patients with bipolar illness or seasonal affective disorder. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), categorized as a depressive disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), have altered sensitivity to 200 lux light during mid-follicular (MF) and late-luteal (LL) menstrual cycle phases compared with normal control (NC) women. As an extension of a pilot study in which the authors administered 500 lux to 8 PMDD and 5 NC subjects, in the present study the authors administered 200 lux to 10 PMDD and 13 NC subjects during MF and LL menstrual cycle phases.