BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of SAD and latitude. METHODS: An overview of the epidemiological literature on the prevalence of SAD is given and studies relevant for the latitudinal dependency of prevalence will be analyzed and discussed. RESULTS: The mean prevalence of SAD is two times higher in North America compared to Europe. Over all prevalence studies, the correlation between prevalence and latitude was not significant. A significant positive correlation was found between prevalence and latitude in North America. For Europe there was a trend in the same direction. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of latitude on prevalence seems to be small and other factors like climate, genetic vulnerability and social-cultural context can be expected to play a more important role. Additional controlled studies taking these factors into account are necessary to identify their influence.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of SAD and latitude. METHODS: An overview of the epidemiological literature on the prevalence of SAD is given and studies relevant for the latitudinal dependency of prevalence will be analyzed and discussed. RESULTS: The mean prevalence of SAD is two times higher in North America compared to Europe. Over all prevalence studies, the correlation between prevalence and latitude was not significant. A significant positive correlation was found between prevalence and latitude in North America. For Europe there was a trend in the same direction. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of latitude on prevalence seems to be small and other factors like climate, genetic vulnerability and social-cultural context can be expected to play a more important role. Additional controlled studies taking these factors into account are necessary to identify their influence.
Authors: Hira Mohyuddin; Polymnia Georgiou; Abhishek Wadhawan; Melanie L Daue; Lisa A Brenner; Claudia Gragnoli; Erika F H Saunders; Dietmar Fuchs; Christopher A Lowry; Teodor T Postolache Journal: Pteridines Date: 2017-12-02 Impact factor: 0.581
Authors: Michael Bauer; Tasha Glenn; Martin Alda; Ole A Andreassen; Raffaella Ardau; Frank Bellivier; Michael Berk; Thomas D Bjella; Letizia Bossini; Maria Del Zompo; Seetal Dodd; Andrea Fagiolini; Mark A Frye; Ana Gonzalez-Pinto; Chantal Henry; Flávio Kapczinski; Sebastian Kliwicki; Barbara König; Mauricio Kunz; Beny Lafer; Carlos Lopez-Jaramillo; Mirko Manchia; Wendy Marsh; Mónica Martinez-Cengotitabengoa; Ingrid Melle; Gunnar Morken; Rodrigo Munoz; Fabiano G Nery; Claire O'Donovan; Andrea Pfennig; Danilo Quiroz; Natalie Rasgon; Andreas Reif; Janusz Rybakowski; Kemal Sagduyu; Christian Simhandl; Carla Torrent; Eduard Vieta; Mark Zetin; Peter C Whybrow Journal: Bipolar Disord Date: 2012-05-21 Impact factor: 6.744
Authors: Uttam K Raheja; Sarah H Stephens; Braxton D Mitchell; Kelly J Rohan; Dipika Vaswani; Theodora G Balis; Gagan V Nijjar; Aamar Sleemi; Toni I Pollin; Kathleen Ryan; Gloria M Reeves; Nancy Weitzel; Mary Morrissey; Hassaan Yousufi; Patricia Langenberg; Alan R Shuldiner; Teodor T Postolache Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2012-11-17 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Sharon Grimaldi; Ani Englund; Timo Partonen; Jari Haukka; Sami Pirkola; Antti Reunanen; Arpo Aromaa; Jouko Lönnqvist Journal: J Environ Public Health Date: 2009-06-07