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Related Experiment Videos

Seasonality and affective illness.

T A Wehr1, N E Rosenthal

  • 1Clinical Psychobiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|July 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) involves distinct winter and summer depression patterns with opposite symptoms. Identifying winter depression is key, as it responds well to phototherapy.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry and Environmental Medicine

Background:

  • Seasonal and environmental influences on mood disorders have been recognized for over two millennia.
  • Recent years have seen a resurgence of scientific interest in seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the causes, symptoms, and treatments of SAD.
  • To discuss the broader relevance of SAD to affective illnesses.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on seasonal affective disorder.
  • Analysis of historical and contemporary research on environmental influences on depression.

Main Results:

  • Two primary seasonal depression patterns exist: winter depression and summer depression, each with opposing vegetative symptoms.
  • Seasonal affective disorder is a prevalent condition.
  • Patients with winter depression show a significant positive response to phototherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Seasonal affective disorder is an important subtype of mood disorder with identifiable seasonal patterns.
  • Phototherapy is an effective treatment for winter-pattern seasonal affective disorder, highlighting the need for accurate diagnosis.

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