Light-therapy applications for DSM-IV-TR disease entities

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: Recent decades have seen significant advancesin the knowledge of pathogenesis of mood disorders, as well as of other conditionsdirectly or indirectly related to such diseases. Such progress has led to the emergence ofnew treatments, such as bright light therapy, based on the discovery of the therapeutic effectsof exposure to bright light with the so-called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), aDSM seasonal pattern specifier linked to major depression and bipolar disorder recurrentdescribing the course of illness during seasons. The goal of the present work is to reviewthe potential clinical applications of phototherapy, including SAD, obsessive-compulsivedisorder, bulimia, premenstrual syndrome, non seasonal major depression, sleep disorders,jet-lag, dementia, normal populations and in primary care.Methods: A systematic review of the literature about this matter since the early Rosenthal’sgroup observations has been carried out.Results: A considerable number of studies has been published about this therapeuticapproach, pointing that not only depression but also other pathologies that may follow aseasonal pattern could benefit from phototherapy integrated with more standard treatments,as well as other disorders directly or indirectly related to mood, and even anotherconditions without a seasonal pattern.Conclusions: The data about the different uses of this treatment neither confirm nordismiss its efficacy, stating that the therapy should still be regarded as experimental. Futurestudies should continue investigating to draw reliable conclusions about the usefulnessof bright light therapy on mood disorders and other conditions to provide an alternativeto standard treatments almost exclusively based on psychoactive drugs (AU)