Blue Enriched Versus Standard Light Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD)

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Treatments: Device: Original Energy Light prototype; Device: Original Energy Light,

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01048294

METc2005/160

Details and patient eligibility

About

One of the most frequently investigated hypothesis of the pathophysiology underlying Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) or so called winterdepression is a disturbance of circadian rhythms. Since the circadian system is especially sensitive for the blue portion of the light spectrum, a new light therapy device with more blue light (blue enriched polychromatic light) was tested for its efficacy to treat SAD. In chronobiological terms this light is hypothesized to be more potent in inducing non-visual effects. In the present study fluorescent tubes that emit a high portion of short wavelength light on top of the normal wavelengths are tested for its superiority in treating SAD. This blue-enriched light (colour temperature 17000 ºK) is compared to standard light treatment (5000 º K) in SAD patients., The investigators hypothesise that blue- enriched light improve the therapeutic effects of light treatment leading to a higher response or the same response in a shorter time schedule compared to standard light treatment.

Enrollment: 52 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age 18-65;
• diagnosis of Seasonal affective Disorder, winter type according to DSM-IV;
• SIGH SAD rating higher then or equal to 18 on day 1;
• no other treatments for mood disorder during the study
• stay in the Netherlands during the study

Exclusion criteria

• other Axis 1 disorder according to DSM-IV
• acute suicide risk
• use of psychotropic drugs or photosensitizing drugs
• eye diseases other then usual effect of aging
• diabetes or epilepsy
• regular shift work

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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52 participants in 3 patient groups

Standard Light Treatment

Active Comparator group

Description:

30 min of Standard bright light treatment (color 5000K)

Treatment:

Device: Original Energy Light,

Blue enriched Light treatment 20 min

Experimental group

Description:

20 minutes of Blue enriched light treatment (color 17000K)

Treatment:

Device: Original Energy Light prototype

Device: Original Energy Light prototype

Blue enriched light treatment 30 min

Experimental group

Description:

30 minutes of Blue enriched light treatment (color 17000K)

Treatment:

Device: Original Energy Light prototype

Device: Original Energy Light prototype