Seasonal affective disorder—a British sample symptomatology in relation to mode of referral and diagnostic subtype

Thompson, Christopher; Isaacs, Geoffrey

doi:10.1016/0165-0327(88)90065-1

Cited by 108 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Anxiety symptoms are common concomitants of winter depression (Thompson & Isaacs, 1988) and, although estimates have varied, it seems likely that 5-20% of patients experience panic disorder. Patients with eating disorders, most notably bulimia nervosa, frequently experience a winter exacerbation of their symptoms (Blouin et al, 1992).…”

Section: Differential Diagnosis and Comorbiditymentioning

confidence: 99%

Light therapy and the management of winter depression

Eagles¹

2004

Adv. psychiatr. treat

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Much the most common type of seasonal affective disorder at temperate latitudes is recurrent winter depression, which probably affects around 3% of adults in the UK to a clinically significant degree. In this article, diagnosis and presentation are discussed and symptoms are contrasted with those of nonseasonal depression. Aetiology and epidemiology, with regard to age, gender and latitude of residence, are described. Sufferers are often treated with light therapy, and this is described in some detail, with mention of effectiveness, prediction of outcome, timescales of response, side-effects, use of lightboxes and alternatives to lightboxes. Other general aspects of the management of seasonal affective disorder, including the use of antidepressant medication, are also outlined.John Eagles is a consultant psychiatrist at Royal Cornhill Hospital (Cornhill Road, Aberdeen AB25 2ZH, UK) and an honorary reader in mental health at the University of Aberdeen. He has been assessing and treating patients with seasonal affective disorder for 10 years. His other research interests include eating disorders and suicide.

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Section: Differential Diagnosis and Comorbiditymentioning

confidence: 99%

Light therapy and the management of winter depression

Eagles¹

2004

Adv. psychiatr. treat

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“…By contrast, Thompson and Isaacs [1988] found no differences in vegetative or mood symptoms among bipolar I, bipolar II, or unipolar patients with SAD. Their study, however, had a smaller sample size in the bipolar II (n = 19) and unipolar (n = 23) groups, and was based on self-ratings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Depressive symptomatology differentiates subgroups of patients with seasonal affective disorder

Goel

Terman

2002

Depress. Anxiety

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Patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may vary in symptoms of their depressed winter mood state, as we showed previously for nondepressed (manic, hypomanic, hyperthymic, euthymic) springtime states [Goel et al., 1999]. Identification of such differences during depression may be useful in predicting differences in treatment efficacy or analyzing the pathogenesis of the disorder. In a cross-sectional analysis, we determined whether 165 patients with Bipolar Disorder (I, II) or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), both with seasonal pattern, showed different symptom profiles while depressed. Assessment was by the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version (SIGH-SAD), which includes a set of items for atypical symptoms. We identified subgroup differences in SAD based on categories specified for nonseasonal depression, using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant analysis. Patients with Bipolar Disorder (I and II) were more depressed (had higher SIGH-SAD scores) and showed more psychomotor agitation and social withdrawal than those with MDD. Bipolar I patients had more psychomotor retardation, late insomnia, and social withdrawal than bipolar II patients. Men showed more obsessions/compulsions and suicidality than women, while women showed more weight gain and early insomnia. Whites showed more guilt and fatigability than blacks, while blacks showed more hypochondriasis and social withdrawal. Darker-eyed patients were significantly more depressed and fatigued than blue-eyed patients. Single and divorced or separated patients showed more hypochondriasis and diurnal variation than married patients. Employed patients showed more atypical symptoms than unemployed patients, although most of the subgroup distinctions lay on the Hamilton Scale. These results comprise a set of biological and sociocultural factors-including race, gender, and marital and employment status-which contribute to depressive symptomatology in SAD. Significant mood and sociocultural factors, in contrast to biological factors of gender and eye color, were similar to those reported for nonseasonal depression. Lightly pigmented eyes, in particular, may serve to enhance photic input during winter and allay depressive symptoms in vulnerable populations.

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“…Results revealed that 13-17% of relatives had SAD (Lam et al, 1989;Thompson & Isaacs, 1988;Wirz-Justice et al, 1986), compared to 1.4-9.7% SAD in the general population (Rosen et al, 1990). Twenty five to 67% of relatives had nonseasonal mood disorders (Lam et al, 1989;Thompson & Isaacs, 1988; Seasonal Affective Disorder and Melanopsin Japanese cohort demonstrated no familial association with seasonality of depression symptoms, but a significant correlation between spouses' seasonality, indicating possible social influences on the expression of seasonal patterns of behavior (Sasaki, Sakamoto, Akaho, Nakajima, & Takahashi, 1998).…”

Section: Family Studiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Studies of family members of individuals with SAD in multiple areas (i.e., Canada, Britain, and Switzerland) found prevalence rates for SAD and other mood disorders among first-degree relatives (Lam, Buchanan, & Remick, 1989;Thompson & Isaacs, 1988;Wirz-Justice et al, 1986). Results revealed that 13-17% of relatives had SAD (Lam et al, 1989;Thompson & Isaacs, 1988;Wirz-Justice et al, 1986), compared to 1.4-9.7% SAD in the general population (Rosen et al, 1990).…”

Section: Family Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%