Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

Depressive disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, diminished pleasure in life, and a significant impact on daily functioning. These conditions are most prevalent in individuals during their 30s and affect women at twice the rate of men. Contrary to popular belief, younger individuals are generally more susceptible to these disorders than older adults. Two key types of depressive disorders include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and...

Depression: Overview

Depression: Overview

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Human cancer cells exhibit protein kinase C-dependent c-erbB-2 transmodulation that correlates with phosphatase sensitivity and kinase activity.

The Journal of biological chemistry·1996

Same author

Covalent linkage between proteins of the inter-alpha-inhibitor family and hyaluronic acid is mediated by a factor produced by granulosa cells.

The Journal of biological chemistry·1996

Same author

Induction of apoptosis in prostatic tumor cell line DU145 by staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinases.

The Prostate·1996

Same author

People's Republic of China: status of cancer pain and palliative care.

Journal of pain and symptom management·1996

Same author

Hybrid selection of transcribed sequences from microdissected DNA: isolation of genes within amplified region at 20q11-q13.2 in breast cancer.

Cancer research·1996

Same author

Common sequence variants of lipoprotein lipase: standardized studies of in vitro expression and catalytic function.

Biochimica et biophysica acta·1996

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Morning light therapy for postpartum depression.

M Corral¹, A A Wardrop, H Zhang

¹Reproductive Mental Health Program, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. mcorral@providencehealth.bc.ca

Archives of Women'S Mental Health

|August 19, 2007

Summary

Bright light therapy showed similar effectiveness to dim red light for treating postpartum depression (PPD). Both treatments significantly improved symptoms over six weeks in a small study, offering non-pharmacological options for PPD.

More Related Videos

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Women's Health
Behavioral Science

Background:

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects many women after childbirth.
Many women decline traditional pharmacological treatments for PPD.
Limited research exists on non-pharmacological interventions like light therapy for PPD.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the efficacy of bright light therapy as a treatment for postpartum depression.
To compare bright light therapy with dim red light therapy for PPD symptoms.

Main Methods:

Fifteen women diagnosed with PPD were recruited from outpatient settings.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either bright light (10,000 lux) or dim red light (600 lux) for six weeks.
Weekly assessments included self-report depression scales and clinician ratings of symptom severity.

Main Results:

Both bright light and dim red light groups demonstrated significant symptom improvement over the six-week trial.
No statistically significant differences in treatment outcomes were observed between the bright light and dim red light conditions.
Self-report and clinician-rated measures consistently showed improvement in both groups.

Conclusions:

Bright light therapy appears to be a viable non-pharmacological option for postpartum depression.
Dim red light therapy also showed efficacy, suggesting light therapy in general may benefit PPD.
Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these findings and optimize light therapy protocols for PPD.