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Brazilian and Argentinian scientists brought together and re-analysed the data from 11 previous trials of bright light therapy for treating depression, including a total of 858 patients. The studies compared bright light therapy with dim red light therapy, both in conjunction with drug treatments, or bright light therapy in conjunction with drugs with drug treatment alone. The team found bright light therapy is effective, even when the depression is not linked to seasonal reductions in exposure to sunlight, known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Patients given bright light therapy alongside drugs were more likely than those exposed to dim red lights or given drugs alone to see improvements in their depressive symptoms, and they responded to drug treatment faster. The findings suggest bright light therapy may make depression drugs more effective, even when the depression is not SAD-related, the authors conclude.
From:
Bright Light Therapy for Non-Seasonal Depressive Disorders
About The Study: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis reveal that bright light therapy was an effective adjunctive treatment for non-seasonal depressive disorders. Additionally, results suggest that bright light therapy may improve the response time to the initial treatment.
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