BACKGROUND:Thirty-eight patients with SAD participated in a light visor study addressing two questions. 1. Can the development of a depressive episode be prevented by daily exposure to bright light started before symptom onset in early fall and continued throughout the winter? 2. Does the light have to be visible in order to have beneficial effects? METHODS:Three groups participated in the study: I (n = 14) received bright white light (2500 lux); II, (n = 15) received infrared light (0.18 lux); III (n = 9, control group) did not receive any light treatment at all. RESULTS:Infrared light is just as effective as bright white light. Both are more effective than the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: Light visors can be effectively used to prevent the development of SAD. The fact that exposure to infrared light was as effective as exposure to bright white light questions the specific role of visible light in the treatment of SAD.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Thirty-eight patients with SAD participated in a light visor study addressing two questions. 1. Can the development of a depressive episode be prevented by daily exposure to bright light started before symptom onset in early fall and continued throughout the winter? 2. Does the light have to be visible in order to have beneficial effects? METHODS: Three groups participated in the study: I (n = 14) received bright white light (2500 lux); II, (n = 15) received infrared light (0.18 lux); III (n = 9, control group) did not receive any light treatment at all. RESULTS: Infrared light is just as effective as bright white light. Both are more effective than the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: Light visors can be effectively used to prevent the development of SAD. The fact that exposure to infrared light was as effective as exposure to bright white light questions the specific role of visible light in the treatment of SAD.
Authors: Gerald Gartlehner; Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit; Bradley N Gaynes; Catherine A Forneris; Laura C Morgan; Amy Greenblatt; Jörg Wipplinger; Linda J Lux; Megan G Van Noord; Dietmar Winkler Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-03-18
Authors: Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit; Amy Greenblatt; Angela Kaminski-Hartenthaler; Megan G Van Noord; Catherine A Forneris; Laura C Morgan; Bradley N Gaynes; Jörg Wipplinger; Linda J Lux; Dietmar Winkler; Gerald Gartlehner Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-06-17
Authors: Davide Elia Bertani; Antonella Maria Pia De Novellis; Riccardo Farina; Emanuela Latella; Matteo Meloni; Carmela Scala; Laura Valeo; Gian Maria Galeazzi; Silvia Ferrari Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-09 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit; Catherine A Forneris; Laura C Morgan; Megan G Van Noord; Bradley N Gaynes; Amy Greenblatt; Jörg Wipplinger; Linda J Lux; Dietmar Winkler; Gerald Gartlehner Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-03-18
Authors: Catherine A Forneris; Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit; Laura C Morgan; Amy Greenblatt; Megan G Van Noord; Bradley N Gaynes; Jörg Wipplinger; Linda J Lux; Dietmar Winkler; Gerald Gartlehner Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-05-24