A controlled study on the efficacy of combined indoor light therapy for depression and its effects on physiological indicators
10.3760/cma.j.cn113661-20240719-00243
- VernacularTitle:联合室内光照治疗抑郁症疗效及对生理指标影响的对照研究
- Author:
Li YANG
1
;
Ruojia REN
1
;
Wenting LU
1
;
Tianyu ZHAO
1
;
Shijie GUO
1
;
Bufan LIU
1
;
Fanfan HUANG
1
;
Huan CHEN
1
;
Na JIN
1
;
Yuehang XU
1
;
Quan LIN
1
;
Xueyi WANG
1
Author Information
1. 河北医科大学第一医院精神卫生中心 河北省精神心理疾病临床医学研究中心 河北省精神卫生研究所，石家庄 050031
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Depressive disorder;
Periodicity;
Phototherapy;
Light room;
Physical signs
- From:
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry
2025;58(3):211-219
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the efficacy of lightroom therapy on depressive mood and sleep problems in patients with depression, and the potential effects on physiological indices related to circadian rhythms.Methods:From October 2021 to July 2023, 54 patients with acute-phase depression hospitalized in the Mental Health Center of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University were recruited. The participants were randomly assigned to either medication combined with the bright light therapy group (bright light group, n=36) or medication combined with the dim light therapy group (dim light group, n=18). Both groups received light therapy for 2 weeks, at 10 000 lx in the bright light group and 300 lx in the dim light group. Both groups received 30 minutes of light therapy from 7:30-8:00 a.m daily over two weeks, followed up for 1 week post-treatment. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD 17) was used to assess patients′ depressive symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess patients′ sleep quality at baseline, at the end of every week. The 32-Item Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) was used at the end of week 2 to assess the risk of manic switching after treatment. Daily measurements of body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure were taken before and after light therapy, along with recording adverse events related to the therapy. Paired t- tests were used to compare changes in physiological indicators before and after treatment, and repeated measures ANOVA was applied to compare clinical symptom changes between the two groups. Results:Thirty-one and fifteen patients completed this study in the bright light and dim light groups, respectively, with no statistically significant difference in dropout rates( P>0.05). There were significant interaction effects between the time and group for HAMD 17 and PSQI score( F=5.51,4.11, both P<0.05). Both groups showed significant reductions in HAMD 17 and PSQI scores at baseline, week 1, week 2, and week 3 ( P<0.001). In the bright light group, body temperature increased significantly post-treatment on days 1-4, day 7, and day 12 (all P<0.05). Heart rate elevated on day 5 ( P<0.05).Systolic blood pressure decreased on days 4, 5, 11, and 12 compared to the pre-treatment baseline(all P<0.05). In the dim light group, systolic blood pressure increased on day 11 ( P<0.05). Diastolic blood pressure in the bright light group decreased on days 1, 5, and 6( P<0.05). No serious adverse events, vision loss, ocular structural changes occurred in either group. No hypomania or mania episodes were observed. The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Medication combined with indoor bright light is more effective than the combination of dim light for depressive symptoms and sleep problems in patients with depression. Patients receiving bright light also may exhibit a higher body temperature, accelerated heart rate, and reduced blood pressure.
