Internet and Psychiatry
  • Home
    • Editorials
    • Research news
    • Research papers
    • Interviews with eminent psychiatrists
    • Ten years ago
    • Fifteen years ago
  • Topics
    • Alcohol and Drug Abuse
    • Anxiety Disorders
    • Biomedical Science
    • Compulsive gambling
    • Disaster Medicine
    • Education
    • General Medicine
      • Acupuncture
      • Physical medicine and Rehabilitation
    • Human Rights
    • Interviews with eminent psychiatrists
    • Mood Disorders
      • Bipolar Disorder
      • Depression
      • Seasonal Affective Disorder
    • Neurological Disorders
    • Other Psychiatric Disorders
    • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
    • Sexual Behavior
  • Books
    • Comorbidity of Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders
    • “Immigration and Mental Health” chapter abstracts
    • “Internet and Suicide” chapter abstracts
    • “Neurobiology of PTSD” chapter abstracts
    • “Suicidal Behavior in Alcohol…” chapter abstracts
    • “Suicide in the Military” chapter abstracts
    • “Terror and Suicide” chapter abstracts
    • “War and Suicide” chapter abstracts
  • Editors
    • Leo Sher, M.D.
    • Alexander Vilens, M.S.
  • Guests
    • Distinguished Guests
    • Our Contributors
  • Reflections
    • Poetry
    • Quotes

Seasonal Affective Disorder

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

October 24, 2009

Terman M, Terman JS.
Department of Biopsychology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;163(12):2126-33.

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 (0.0003-250 lux in the pattern of May 5 at 45 degrees north latitude); 2) a dawn light pulse (13 minutes, 250 lux, with an illuminant dose of 3.25×10(3) lux-minutes matched to the simulated dawn); 3) postawakening bright light (30 minutes, 10,000 lux); 4) negative air ionization at high flow rate (93 minutes, 4.5×10(14 )ions/second); or 5) ionization at low flow rate (93 minutes, 1.7×10(11) ions/second).

The symptoms were assessed over 3 weeks with the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version. 
RESULTS: Posttreatment improvement results were bright light, 57.1%; dawn simulation, 49.5%; dawn pulse, 42.7%; high-density ions, 47.9%; and low-density ions, 22.7% (significantly lower than the others). Contrary to the authors’ hypothesis, analysis of variance failed to find superiority of dawn simulation to the dawn pulse or bright light. However, the dawn pulse led to a pattern of residual or exacerbated depressive symptoms similar to those seen in low-density ion nonresponders.
CONCLUSIONS: Naturalistic dawn simulation and high-density ionization are active antidepressants that do not require the effort of postawakening bright light therapy. They can be considered candidate alternatives to bright light or medication.

Related Posts

Seasonal Affective Disorder /

What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder /

The role of genetic factors in the etiology of seasonal affective disorder and seasonality

Seasonal Affective Disorder /

A circadian signal of change of season in patients with seasonal affective disorder

‹ The role of genetic factors in the etiology of seasonal affective disorder and seasonality › What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Editorials

  • Suicide medical malpractice
  • Dr. Slavko Ziherl, an eminent Slovenian psychiatrist
  • Prevention of suicidal behavior in individuals with diabetes
  • National Respect Day

Research Papers

  • COVID-19 mortality in Europe and the ’Iron Curtain’ between East and West
  • Examination of depressive signs and symptoms among 803 University students in seven Universities and Colleges. Hungary, Romania, Serbia.
  • Examination of spirituality and the dimensions of spirituality among 803 students in seven different Universities. Hungary, Romania and Serbia.
  • Examination of depressive signs and symptoms among 932 students in eight different secondary schools in Hungary

Research News

  • Mortality in patients with schizophrenia: a review and meta-analysis
  • Long COVID, psychiatric disorders and suicidality
  • Mortality rates for buprenorphine versus methadone treatments
  • Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in combat veterans with or without a history of suicide attempt

Latest News

  • Best universities in the world
  • Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship
  • 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report
  • Long COVID and suicide

Interviews with eminent psychiatrists

  • Interview with Professor Shih-Ku Lin
  • Interview with Professor Masahito Fushimi
  • Interview with Professor Maurizio Pompili
  • Interview with Professor Marco Sarchiapone

Ten Years Ago

  • Plasma testosterone levels in bipolar suicide attempters
  • Teaching medical professionals and trainees about suicide prevention
  • Suicidal ideation in depressed patients with or without comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
  • Treatment of suicide attempters with bipolar disorder: a randomized clinical trial

Back to Top

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Copyright © 2022 AVCalc LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.