Research Reports That Bright Light Therapy Can Be Very Effective for Depression in Older Adults
Bright light therapy is usually recommended as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder SAD.
However, there is promising evidence that this therapy may be effective for non seasonal disorder as well.
This therapy has not been used by people with depression due to a lack of clinical trials.
The results of this new study may now make bright light therapy a viable option for people suffering from major depression.
Dr.
Ritsaert Lieverse and his team treated 89 persons over 60 years old.
who had been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder.
Every morning, for a period of 3 weeks half of the group was exposed for one hour to an artificial bright light using a special lamp covered with a blue filter.
The control group was given an additional hour of light but the lamp was covered with a dim red filter.
The results were quite significant.
The treatment resulted in a dramatic reduction in the depressive mood of those who had receive the bright light therapy.
The patients who received bright light therapy experienced a lifting of their mood.
They felt more positive and got out of bed much earlier than those who received the placebo, The treated group also showed an increased in the sleep promoting hormone melatonin and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol..
Improvements in depression were measured using the standard Hamilton Scale of Depression.
The treated group continued to improve in the weeks following the study.
Three weeks after the treatment 54 percent of them reported that their depression had continue to improve compared to 33 percent of the control group.
Some scientists believe that bright light has a profound effect on serotonin, the hormone that makes us feel good.
A decrease in this hormone is implicated in some forms of depression.
In addition bright light seem to affect the part of the brain that is targeted by antidepressant drugs.
This was the very first study of its kind.
Dr.
Lieverse believes that light therapy could be an adjunct therapy for those who are resistive to drugs.
However, he warns that major depression is a serious disorder and people should not try to self treat.
In addition, light therapy may not be appropriate for everyone especially for people with eye conditions.
Light therapy for depression should not be undertaken without the guidance of a psychiatrist.
The hope for this study is that further research will compare light therapy with antidepressants.
and if it is proven effective then bright light therapy could become a reasonable and less expensive alternative to drugs.
However, there is promising evidence that this therapy may be effective for non seasonal disorder as well.
This therapy has not been used by people with depression due to a lack of clinical trials.
The results of this new study may now make bright light therapy a viable option for people suffering from major depression.
Dr.
Ritsaert Lieverse and his team treated 89 persons over 60 years old.
who had been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder.
Every morning, for a period of 3 weeks half of the group was exposed for one hour to an artificial bright light using a special lamp covered with a blue filter.
The control group was given an additional hour of light but the lamp was covered with a dim red filter.
The results were quite significant.
The treatment resulted in a dramatic reduction in the depressive mood of those who had receive the bright light therapy.
The patients who received bright light therapy experienced a lifting of their mood.
They felt more positive and got out of bed much earlier than those who received the placebo, The treated group also showed an increased in the sleep promoting hormone melatonin and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol..
Improvements in depression were measured using the standard Hamilton Scale of Depression.
The treated group continued to improve in the weeks following the study.
Three weeks after the treatment 54 percent of them reported that their depression had continue to improve compared to 33 percent of the control group.
Some scientists believe that bright light has a profound effect on serotonin, the hormone that makes us feel good.
A decrease in this hormone is implicated in some forms of depression.
In addition bright light seem to affect the part of the brain that is targeted by antidepressant drugs.
This was the very first study of its kind.
Dr.
Lieverse believes that light therapy could be an adjunct therapy for those who are resistive to drugs.
However, he warns that major depression is a serious disorder and people should not try to self treat.
In addition, light therapy may not be appropriate for everyone especially for people with eye conditions.
Light therapy for depression should not be undertaken without the guidance of a psychiatrist.
The hope for this study is that further research will compare light therapy with antidepressants.
and if it is proven effective then bright light therapy could become a reasonable and less expensive alternative to drugs.
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