Light-induced plasma melatonin suppression in seasonal affective disorder

1. Subjects with seasonal affective disorder were exposed to 0, 500 and 1000 lux of white light for one hour beginning at 0300 hours. 2. Plasma samples were taken periodically and analysed for melatonin. 3. Plasma melatonin levels were suppressed by exposure to both 500 and 1000 lux light levels, suggesting that SAD patients show no neuroendocrine insensitivity to light but may show supersensitive responses to light.