BJP Handbook for Psychiatric Trainees
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, C.
Right arrow Articles by Smythe, P. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thompson, C.
Right arrow Articles by Smythe, P. J.

The British Journal of Psychiatry 170: 431-435 (1997)
© 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Effects of morning phototherapy on circadian markers in seasonal affective disorder

C Thompson, PA Childs, NJ Martin, I Rodin and PJ Smythe
University of Southampton, Hampshire.

BACKGROUND: The suppression of melatonin by light at 00.30 hours has been shown to be greater in winter than in summer on patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) but not in matched normal controls. METHOD: In this study 12 patients with SAD and 12 matched normal controls were exposed to morning light therapy in the winter. Melatonin profiles and sensitivity to light were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: The SAD but not the normal group showed a phase advance of melatonin rhythms in response to phototherapy. There was an association between phase position and phase shift in the SAD but not in the normal group. CONCLUSIONS: There may be instability of circadian rhythms in SAD mediated by a high-amplitude phase response curve, rather than a fixed phase abnormality as had been previously suggested. This instability may be secondary to impaired serotoninergic function in the afferent pathways to the suprachiasmatic nuclei.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 QJMHome page
L. Sher
Aetiology and pathogenesis of mood disorders
QJM, April 1, 2003; 96(4): 309 - 313.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
J. S. Terman, M. Terman, E.-S. Lo, and T. B. Cooper
Circadian Time of Morning Light Administration and Therapeutic Response in Winter Depression
Arch Gen Psychiatry, January 1, 2001; 58(1): 69 - 75.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Evid. Based Ment. HealthHome page
T. Partonen
Bright light and high density negative air ionisation reduced symptoms in seasonal affective disorder
Evid. Based Ment. Health, August 1, 1999; 2(3): 87 - 87.
[Full Text]

Home page
 J. Med. Genet.Home page
N. Craddock and I. Jones
Genetics of bipolar disorder
J. Med. Genet., August 1, 1999; 36(8): 585 - 594.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.