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What is this
study about?
This
is a research study of the effectiveness of light and negative air
ions for treating
winter depression when presented either during the final hours of sleep
or upon awakening. All of these are non-drug approaches
to treating symptoms, and we are investigating how these three treatments
compare with
each other in relieving the symptoms of winter depression, otherwise known
as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Participation
is voluntary and treatment is free. You must be 18 to 65 years old to be
eligible. Participants receive expert diagnosis and supervision along
with loan of the treatment apparatus. Read below to find out if this
study is right for you.
Why
do people get depressed during the winter and not the summer?
During
the summer, when people who get winter depression are feeling well,
both the amount of
sunlight and negative ions in the air circulation are at higher levels
than in the winter. People who are especially sensitive to
these environmental factors may be most likely to experience SAD.
What
are the symptoms of winter depression?
Beyond
having the “blues,” people with SAD typically experience a range of distinct
problems. Here’s a useful checklist, although not all of these
symptoms need be present:
- Seeping too much,
or having trouble waking up
- Fatigue or lack
of energy
- Overeating
- Annual weight
gain, with weight loss in spring and summer
- Loss of interest
or pleasure in activities
- Feeling down,
sad, or hopeless
- Feeling bad about
yourself or feeling you were letting yourself or family down
- Trouble
concentrating
- Moving or
speaking so slowly that other people could notice
Again, people with
winter depression feel energetic, motivated and “normal” in the spring and
summer months. If you experience some of these symptoms, you might
be eligible for our study.
THE
TREATMENTS:
- Morning
bright-light therapy:
Soon after waking up, you sit at a
special lighting device for 30 minutes. While doing this, you can
read, write, eat breakfast, or do any number of other quiet activities.
While you are still asleep, an automatic
computerized lighting device mimics a natural springtime dawn. Treatment
is over by the time you wake up.
Also during sleep, a silent electronic
device in your bedroom activates to create atmospheric conditions similar
to springtime.
THE PROGRAM:
Participants
start with treatment for three weeks to test its effectiveness. The treatments
vary in dose (i.e., the intensity of the ionization) or timing (i.e., how
quickly the artificial dawn rises), and are randomly assigned. The
informed consent process will include a discussion of the risks and
benefits of participation.
Participants
visit the New York State Psychiatric Institute for periodic evaluation
sessions. Scheduling is flexible.
After
completing a treatment period, participants have the opportunity
to try one of the
other treatments for comparison.
WHO
WE ARE:
The
Clinical Chronobiology group is the major U.S. center studying treatments
for
Seasonal Affective Disorder. They have produced numerous clinical and
scientific publications on the topic. Founded 1984, they pioneered the
concept that environmental therapies – supplementing indoor light and air
conditions – leads to an improved mood state in people with depression. This
discovery was made while treating people with winter depression.
THE
TEAM:
Dr.
Michael Terman, Director, received his Ph.D. degree in physiological
psychology from Brown
University, and is a Professor in the Psychiatry Department at Columbia’s
College of Physicians & Surgeons. He collaborates in his work
with his long-time associate, Dr. Jiuan Su Terman, and their associates
Dr. Ziad
Boulos and Dr. Mila Macchi.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLINICAL TRIAL,
PLEASE CALL 212-543-5714
FOR EMAIL US AT
lightion@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu,
mentioning your interest in the winter depression study. |