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Bright light augments antidepressant effects of medication and wake therapy
Author(s) -
Loving Richard T.,
Kripke Daniel F.,
Shuchter Stephen R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.10036
Subject(s) - light therapy , placebo , antidepressant , medicine , white light , hamilton rating scale for depression , concomitant , depression (economics) , rating scale , randomized controlled trial , psychiatry , psychology , anesthesia , physical therapy , major depressive disorder , circadian rhythm , anxiety , mood , developmental psychology , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , economics , optics , macroeconomics
Abstract Inpatient studies have suggested that bright light therapy can be used to sustain the antidepressant effects of wake therapy (sleep deprivation). In an outpatient trial, a half night of home wake treatment was followed by 1 week of light treatment. All subjects had Major Depressive Disorders according to DSM‐IV criteria and were receiving concomitant antidepressant medication. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 10,000 lux bright white light for 30 min between 6 and 9 AM or dim red (placebo) light at a comparable time. Seven subjects completed treatment with bright white light and six completed treatment with placebo. On the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS17, SIGH‐SAD‐SR version), the group receiving bright light improved 27% in 1 week ( P=0.002 ). The group receiving placebo did not improve, except for one outlier. The benefit of bright light was significant compared to placebo with removal of the outlier ( P<0.025 ). Depression and Anxiety 16:1–3, 2002 . © Wiley–Liss, Inc.