Knapen Stefan E, Gordijn Marijke C M, Meesters Ybe
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN), Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion regulation (ICPE), P.O. Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Chronobiology, GeLifes, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Chrono@Work B.V. Groningen, The Netherlands.
J Affect Disord. 2016 Sep 15;202:87-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.05.009. Epub 2016 May 24.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by recurrent episodes of major depression in a seasonal pattern. The therapy of choice is light therapy (LT). It is suggested that LT should be administered relative to the chronotype of the patient, with the optimal timing earlier for morning than for evening types. This study aims to retrospectively investigate the relation between chronotype and the effect of LT on a fixed time in the morning in a population of SAD patients.
Data from four different studies conducted at the University Center of Psychiatry in Groningen, the Netherlands was used. Data from 132 patients was used (103 women). Depression score was determined by a structured interview (SIGH-SAD) prior to LT and after LT. Prior to LT morningness/eveningness preference of the patient was determined by the 'Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaire' (MEQ). All patients received LT at 8:00 AM at the clinic, independent of chronotype.
Patients had an average MEQ score of 51.5±8.2. There was no significant relationship between MEQ score and therapy success as measured with the SIGH-SAD (F2,129=0.05, ns). When patients were divided by chronotype (ranging from definite morning to moderate evening) no significant relation between MEQ score and therapy success was found (F2,129=0.02, ns).
Retrospective design.
The lack of a significant relationship between chronotype, as measured with the MEQ, and therapy success with LT at a fixed timepoint may indicate that the anti-depressive effect of morning light in SAD patients is not explained by a phase shift of the biological clock.
季节性情感障碍（SAD）的特征是按季节性模式反复出现重度抑郁发作。首选治疗方法是光照疗法（LT）。有人建议，光照疗法应根据患者的昼夜节律类型进行，最佳时间对于早晨型患者比对夜晚型患者更早。本研究旨在回顾性调查在一组季节性情感障碍患者中，昼夜节律类型与早晨固定时间进行光照疗法效果之间的关系。
使用了荷兰格罗宁根大学精神病学中心进行的四项不同研究的数据。使用了132名患者的数据（103名女性）。在光照疗法之前和之后，通过结构化访谈（SIGH-SAD）确定抑郁评分。在光照疗法之前，通过“晨型/夜型问卷”（MEQ）确定患者的晨型/夜型偏好。所有患者均在诊所上午8:00接受光照疗法，与昼夜节律类型无关。
患者的平均MEQ评分为51.5±8.2。MEQ评分与用SIGH-SAD衡量的治疗成功率之间没有显著关系（F2,129 = 0.05，无显著性差异）。当根据昼夜节律类型（从明确的早晨型到中度夜晚型）对患者进行划分时，未发现MEQ评分与治疗成功率之间存在显著关系（F2,129 = 0.02，无显著性差异）。
回顾性设计。
用MEQ衡量的昼夜节律类型与固定时间点光照疗法的治疗成功率之间缺乏显著关系，这可能表明季节性情感障碍患者早晨光照的抗抑郁作用不能用生物钟的相位变化来解释。
