Influence of Light Exposure on Cerebral MAO-A in Seasonal Affective Disorder and Healthy Controls Measured by PET
Seasonal Affective Disorder
About this trial
This is an interventional basic science trial for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for Patients:
- DSM-IV diagnosis of SAD established by diagnostic interview according to the SCID.
- Global Seasonality Score of 10 or higher on the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ)
- Somatic health based on history, physical examination, ECG, and laboratory screening
- Aged 18 to 55 years
- No therapeutic treatment of SAD in the last 6 months (drugs and light therapy)
- Willingness and competence to complete the informed consent process
Inclusion criteria for healthy controls:
- Aged 18 to 55 years
- Somatic and psychiatric health based on history, physical examination, ECG, laboratory screening, SCID
- Willingness and competence to complete the informed consent process
Exclusion criteria for patients and healthy controls:
- Concomitant major medical or neurological illness
- Concomitant psychiatric disorders
- Current smoking
- Ingestion of antidepressants or other psychotropic agents targeting the serotonergic system, within the last 6 months.
- Bright light therapy within the last 6 months.
- Current substance abuse including alcohol, drugs of abuse, or any medication in a manner which is indicative of substance-related disorders (e.g. substance dependency) according to the DSM-IV.
- Failure to comply with the study protocol or follow the instructions of the investigators.
- Positive urine pregnancy test.
- For participants who participated in an earlier neuroimaging study using ionizing radiation, the total radiation exposure dose of 20 mSv over the last 10 years must not be exceeded, as specified in the legislation on radiation protection (Allg. Strahlenschutzverordnung 2010; www.ris.bka.gv.at).
Sites / Locations
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
Light Therapy
Placebo Light
One subgroup of SAD patients and healthy controls respectively will receive bright light therapy using an artificial white light source (PhysioLight LD220 by DAVITA®, www.davita.de/shop/lichttherapiegeraete/lichtduschen-tageslicht/physiolight-ld-220.html) with full-spectrum 10.000lux light intensity. The treatment will be applied 30min per day at a distance of about of 50cm, preferably in the morning, during 3 weeks.
The second subgroup of the SAD patients and healthy controls will receive a non-biologically active light source (<400nm or >500nm). Here, the lamp will have largely similar shape and size as compared to the therapeutic device, but the fluorescent tube with the high light intensity will be replaced by an ordinary bulb.