Suicide After Bright Light Treatment in Seasonal Affective Disorder

Haffmans, Judith; Lucius, Stefan; Ham, Nicolette

doi:10.4088/jcp.v59n0907a

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…The treatment is usually carried out in the morning, but several studies have evaluated the possibility of evening treatment schemes based on the patient’s chronotype. Some studies have evaluated how, in bipolar disorder, midday light exposure generates a reduced risk of manic switch compared with morning exposure [ 93 , 94 ]. Terman et al determined that the best time to administer light therapy and implement its antidepressant effect is 7.5 to 9.5 h (average of 8.5 h) after the onset of MLT in plasma.…”

Section: Effects Of Light On Well-being Functioning and Mental Hementioning

confidence: 99%

“Shedding Light on Light”: A Review on the Effects on Mental Health of Exposure to Optical Radiation

Bertani

Novellis

Farina

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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In relation to human health and functioning, light, or more specifically optical radiation, plays many roles, beyond allowing vision. These may be summarized as: regulation of circadian rhythms; consequences of direct exposure to the skin; and more indirect effects on well-being and functioning, also related to lifestyle and contact with natural and urban environments. Impact on mental health is relevant for any of these specifications and supports a clinical use of this knowledge for the treatment of psychiatric conditions, such as depression or anxiety, somatic symptom disorder, and others, with reference to light therapy in particular. The scope of this narrative review is to provide a summary of recent findings and evidence on the regulating functions of light on human beings’ biology, with a specific focus on mental health, its prevention and care.

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Section: Effects Of Light On Well-being Functioning and Mental Hementioning

confidence: 99%

“Shedding Light on Light”: A Review on the Effects on Mental Health of Exposure to Optical Radiation

Bertani

Novellis

Farina

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…Evening administration of BLT can increase the incidence of sleep disturbances; bipolar patients may switch to hypomania during therapy [180] . Suicidality may sporadically occur early in the treatment course [181,182] , menstrual irregularities have been reported [183] . Although there is some evidence for retinal degeneration after prolonged exposure to intensive visible light in rodents [184] , this was not confirmed in humans [185] .…”

Section: Safety and Tolerability Of Bltmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bright-Light Therapy in the Treatment of Mood Disorders

et al. 2011

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Bright-light therapy (BLT) is established as the treatment of choice for seasonal affective disorder/winter type (SAD). In the last two decades, the use of BLT has expanded beyond SAD: there is evidence for efficacy in chronic depression, antepartum depression, premenstrual depression, bipolar depression and disturbances of the sleep-wake cycle. Data on the usefulness of BLT in non-seasonal depression are promising; however, further systematic studies are still warranted. In this review, the authors present a comprehensive overview of the literature on BLT in mood disorders. The first part elucidates the neurobiology of circadian and seasonal adaptive mechanisms focusing on the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the indolamines melatonin and serotonin, and the chronobiology of mood disorders. The SCN is the primary oscillator in humans. Indolamines are known to transduce light signals into cells and organisms since early in evolution, and their role in signalling change of season is still preserved in humans: melatonin is synthesized primarily in the pineal gland and is the central hormone for internal clock circuitries. The melatonin precursor serotonin is known to modulate many behaviours that vary with season. The second part discusses the pathophysiology and clinical specifiers of SAD, which can be seen as a model disorder for chronobiological disturbances and the mechanism of action of BLT. In the third part, the mode of action, application, efficacy, tolerability and safety of BLT in SAD and other mood disorders are explored.

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“…134 Another patient with SAD committed suicide after 5 days of 10,000 lux, 30 minutes morning light treatment. 135 Since light therapy generally has been regarded as having mild side effects, the particular circumstances of these patients warrants close examination. Lam and colleagues 136 performed a retrospective analysis of 191 SAD cases treated in an open-clinic setting with morning light (2,500 lux, 2 hours or 10,000 lux, 30 minutes).…”

Section: Side Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There was significant improvement in HAM-D suicide ratings, with 45% of patients showing score reductions and 3% showing slight worsening. The authors suggested that the incidents described in the case reports 134,135 might be attributable to spontaneous worsening of depression under ineffective treatment, especially as a complication of treatment initiation. Indeed, the first three cases were all severe depressions of 5-10 weeks duration, two of the cases with suicidal thoughts that preceded light therapy.…”

Section: Side Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Light Therapy for Seasonal and Nonseasonal Depression: Efficacy, Protocol, Safety, and Side Effects

Terman¹,

2005

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Bright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been investigated and applied for over 20 years. Physicians and clinicians are increasingly confident that bright light therapy is a potent, specifically active, nonpharmaceutical treatment modality. Indeed, the domain of light treatment is moving beyond SAD, to nonseasonal depression (unipolar and bipolar), seasonal flare-ups of bulimia nervosa, circadian sleep phase disorders, and more. Light therapy is simple to deliver to outpatients and inpatients alike, although the optimum dosing of light and treatment time of day requires individual adjustment. The side-effect profile is favorable in comparison with medications, although the clinician must remain vigilant about emergent hypomania and autonomic hyperactivation, especially during the first few days of treatment. Importantly, light therapy provides a compatible adjunct to antidepressant medication, which can result in accelerated improvement and fewer residual symptoms.

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Suicide After Bright Light Treatment in Seasonal Affective Disorder

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

“Shedding Light on Light”: A Review on the Effects on Mental Health of Exposure to Optical Radiation

“Shedding Light on Light”: A Review on the Effects on Mental Health of Exposure to Optical Radiation

Bright-Light Therapy in the Treatment of Mood Disorders

Light Therapy for Seasonal and Nonseasonal Depression: Efficacy, Protocol, Safety, and Side Effects

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