Clinical experience with phototherapy

Abstract

Thirty subjects with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and three subjects with a non-seasonal depression had a trial of phototherapy in an open assessment of the feasibility of phototherapy in clinical practice. 43% of the SAD subjects met the criteria for 'successful treatment', but none of the subjects with non-seasonal depression showed any response. Due to personal constraints, not all were able to receive light exposure up to the amount recommended. Results indicated that the more severe the atypical symptoms of depression the more likely they were to respond to phototherapy, while greater severity of 'endogenous' symptoms predicted a poor response. Several subjects used the trial to decide whether to purchase equipment to continue treatment. Follow-up information on these subjects is presented.