What is it about?
This paper explains how bright light treatment helps depression, using new research about the molecular biology of seasonal regulation in vertebrates. An extension of "internal desynchronization" circadian theories of mania is presented. These ideas lead to further explanations of how thyroid influences depression and mania.
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Why is it important?
This is a first attempt to show how research from animal labs about photoperiodic control of reproduction explains how bright light treatment of depression works. It also suggests a new perspective on the role of thyroid hormone in depression and mania.
Perspectives
I used an invited lecture on the history of light treatment to explain how these theories have developed. A free downloadable open-access slide set is available at doi: 10.7490/f1000research.1113559.1 and explains some of the mechanisms better than the written manuscript.
Dr. Daniel F. Kripke
UCSD
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Photoperiodic and circadian bifurcation theories of depression and mania, F1000Research, May 2015, Faculty of 1000, Ltd.,
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6444.1.
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