Decreasing TSH levels in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) responding to 1 week of bright light therapy

Klaus Martiny; Christian Simonsen; Marianne Lunde; Lars Clemmensen; Per Bech

doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00361-0

Decreasing TSH levels in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) responding to 1 week of bright light therapy

Klaus Martiny^*, Christian Simonsen, Marianne Lunde, Lars Clemmensen, Per Bech

^*Corresponding author for this work

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by lowered mood and atypical depressive symptoms such as hypersomnia, weight gain and fatigue. These symptoms seem associated with hypothyroidism, but the results of evaluations of the thyroid function in SAD patients have been conflicting, most likely due to the very small number of observations. Methods: In total, 83 patients fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for SAD were treated with bright light for 1 week in an open trial. Thyroid function was evaluated by TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T₄ (thyroxine) and T₃ (triiodthyronine) levels at baseline and after 1 week of bright light treatment. Results: The response rate in terms of a 50% reduction of pre-treatment scores on the Hamilton Depressions Rating Scale (HAM-D₁₇) was 61%. The TSH levels in all 83 patients decreased significantly from 1.57 at baseline to 1.30 at endpoint. In the group of responders (n=52) the TSH levels decreased significantly from 1.71 to 1.37, while in the group of non-responders (n=31) the decrease in TSH levels was not statistically significant. Conclusion: During 1 week of bright light therapy the TSH levels in SAD patients were reduced, with the highest reduction in the group of patients responding to light therapy.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume	79
Issue number	1-3
Pages (from-to)	253-257
Number of pages	5
ISSN	0165-0327
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00361-0
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2004

Keywords

Atypical depression
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
TSH

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10.1016/S0165-0327(02)00361-0

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title = "Decreasing TSH levels in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) responding to 1 week of bright light therapy",

abstract = "Background: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by lowered mood and atypical depressive symptoms such as hypersomnia, weight gain and fatigue. These symptoms seem associated with hypothyroidism, but the results of evaluations of the thyroid function in SAD patients have been conflicting, most likely due to the very small number of observations. Methods: In total, 83 patients fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for SAD were treated with bright light for 1 week in an open trial. Thyroid function was evaluated by TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodthyronine) levels at baseline and after 1 week of bright light treatment. Results: The response rate in terms of a 50% reduction of pre-treatment scores on the Hamilton Depressions Rating Scale (HAM-D17) was 61%. The TSH levels in all 83 patients decreased significantly from 1.57 at baseline to 1.30 at endpoint. In the group of responders (n=52) the TSH levels decreased significantly from 1.71 to 1.37, while in the group of non-responders (n=31) the decrease in TSH levels was not statistically significant. Conclusion: During 1 week of bright light therapy the TSH levels in SAD patients were reduced, with the highest reduction in the group of patients responding to light therapy.",

keywords = "Atypical depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH",

author = "Klaus Martiny and Christian Simonsen and Marianne Lunde and Lars Clemmensen and Per Bech",

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T1 - Decreasing TSH levels in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) responding to 1 week of bright light therapy

AU - Martiny, Klaus

AU - Simonsen, Christian

AU - Lunde, Marianne

AU - Clemmensen, Lars

AU - Bech, Per

PY - 2004/4/1

Y1 - 2004/4/1

N2 - Background: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by lowered mood and atypical depressive symptoms such as hypersomnia, weight gain and fatigue. These symptoms seem associated with hypothyroidism, but the results of evaluations of the thyroid function in SAD patients have been conflicting, most likely due to the very small number of observations. Methods: In total, 83 patients fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for SAD were treated with bright light for 1 week in an open trial. Thyroid function was evaluated by TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodthyronine) levels at baseline and after 1 week of bright light treatment. Results: The response rate in terms of a 50% reduction of pre-treatment scores on the Hamilton Depressions Rating Scale (HAM-D17) was 61%. The TSH levels in all 83 patients decreased significantly from 1.57 at baseline to 1.30 at endpoint. In the group of responders (n=52) the TSH levels decreased significantly from 1.71 to 1.37, while in the group of non-responders (n=31) the decrease in TSH levels was not statistically significant. Conclusion: During 1 week of bright light therapy the TSH levels in SAD patients were reduced, with the highest reduction in the group of patients responding to light therapy.

AB - Background: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by lowered mood and atypical depressive symptoms such as hypersomnia, weight gain and fatigue. These symptoms seem associated with hypothyroidism, but the results of evaluations of the thyroid function in SAD patients have been conflicting, most likely due to the very small number of observations. Methods: In total, 83 patients fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for SAD were treated with bright light for 1 week in an open trial. Thyroid function was evaluated by TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodthyronine) levels at baseline and after 1 week of bright light treatment. Results: The response rate in terms of a 50% reduction of pre-treatment scores on the Hamilton Depressions Rating Scale (HAM-D17) was 61%. The TSH levels in all 83 patients decreased significantly from 1.57 at baseline to 1.30 at endpoint. In the group of responders (n=52) the TSH levels decreased significantly from 1.71 to 1.37, while in the group of non-responders (n=31) the decrease in TSH levels was not statistically significant. Conclusion: During 1 week of bright light therapy the TSH levels in SAD patients were reduced, with the highest reduction in the group of patients responding to light therapy.

KW - Atypical depression

KW - Seasonal Affective Disorder

KW - Thyroid-stimulating hormone

KW - TSH

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ER -

Decreasing TSH levels in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) responding to 1 week of bright light therapy

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