The circadian basis of winter depression
by
Lewy AJ, Lefler BJ, Emens JS, Bauer VK.
Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory,
Oregon Health and Science University,
3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road,
Portland, OR 97239, USA.
lewy@ohsu.edu
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 May 9;103(19):7414-9.

ABSTRACT

The following test of the circadian phase-shift hypothesis for patients with winter depression (seasonal affective disorder, or SAD) uses low-dose melatonin administration in the morning or afternoon/evening to induce phase delays or phase advances, respectively, without causing sleepiness. Correlations between depression ratings and circadian phase revealed a therapeutic window for optimal alignment of circadian rhythms that also appears to be useful for phase-typing SAD patients for the purpose of administering treatment at the correct time. These analyses also provide estimates of the circadian component of SAD that may apply to the antidepressant mechanism of action of appropriately timed bright light exposure, the treatment of choice. SAD may be the first psychiatric disorder in which a physiological marker correlates with symptom severity before, and in the course of, treatment in the same patients. The findings support the phase-shift hypothesis for SAD, as well as suggest a way to assess the circadian component of other psychiatric, sleep, and chronobiologic disorders.

Kava
SAMe
Folate
Ginkgo
Reward
Valerian
Exercise
Cannabis
Herbalife
Moodfoods
Hypericum
Herbal highs
St John's wort
Panax ginseng
Passion flower
Slimming drugs
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Psychoactive aspirin?
Bright light plus fluoxetine (Prozac)
Light therapy with blue wavelength LEDs
How light deprivation causes depression
Adjunctive bright light in non-seasonal major depression

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