Low Intensity 'Blue Light' Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Treatments: Device: standard light treatment; Device: Blue enriched light with a low intensity

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01149135

METc 2008.184

Details and patient eligibility

About

One of the most frequently investigated hypothesis of the pathophysiology underlying Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) or so called winter depression 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.,In a earlier study it was shown that the therapeutic effect of blue enriched light were equal to standard light treatment using light in both conditions with an intensity of 10 000 lux. In the present study, blue enriched light with an intensity of 750 lux was used, because of the possible saturation effect in the former study. The investigators hypothesise that blue- enriched light with a low intensity 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: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-65
• Diagnose 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-I disorders according to the DSM-IV
• Acute suicide risk
• Use of psychotropic drugs or photosensitizing drugs
• No other treatments for mood disorder during the study
• 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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22 participants in 2 patient groups

Standard light treatment

Active Comparator group

Description:

standard light treatment 5000K; 10 000 lux

Treatment:

Device: standard light treatment

blue enriched light

Experimental group

Description:

Blue enriched light with a low intensity (750 lux)

Treatment:

Device: Blue enriched light with a low intensity