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Light therapy for depression during pregnancy
English title
Light therapy for depression during pregnancy
Applicant
Wirz-Justice Anna M.
Number
114110
Funding scheme
Project funding (Div. I-III)
Research institution
Abteilung Chronobiologie Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel
Institution of higher education
University of Basel - BS
Main discipline
Neurology, Psychiatry
Start/End
01.04.2007 - 30.09.2009
Approved amount
182'305.00
Show all
All Disciplines (2)
Discipline
Neurology, Psychiatry
Gynaecology
Keywords (6)
major depression; pregnancy; gender; light therapy; melatonin; circadian phase
Lay Summary (English)
Lead
Lay summary
Depression occurs in about 10% of pregnant women and is difficult to treat because of the need to consider safety of mother and child. Our aim is to study the clinical efficacy of light therapy in depression during pregnancy, as a non-drug biological treatment with few side effects.New studies point to increased long-term developmental risks in babies following antidepressant drugs during pregnancy. A treatment of depression during pregnancy that is efficacious, reliable, and safe, is an urgent unmet clinical need for both women and their psychiatrists. Promising pilot studies of light treatment inspired us to begin this controlled trial. The specific aims are to compare clinical improvement between two light intensity groups (active vs placebo), and to test whether response is related to changes in biological clock timing. The most apparent potential outcome of the study is the reduction of depression in pregnant women. If proven effective, light therapy will be a treatment with minimal, if any, risk to the growing foetus. Another benefit is that light provides a biological treatment with minor side effects compared to antidepressants. Many women also prefer such a "natural" treatment rather than medication during their pregnancy. Light therapy for winter depression is well established in Switzerland and reimbursed by medical insurance. This means that a new indication could rapidly and inexpensively be implemented in the community. The study is a double-blind randomised clinical trial lasting five weeks, with a parallel design using 7000 lux (active) or 70 lux (placebo) light boxes for one hour per day on awakening. We measure rest-activity cycles over 24 hours with actimeters that also measure light exposure. Evening saliva samples are collected before and after 5 weeks to measure the circadian rhythm of melatonin secretion, a validated marker of the biological clock. Recruitment of participants is difficult, because many women are not prepared to invest in the time needed to answer questionnaires and have interviews. So far we have an overall response rate of 60% (we do not know which patient received the bright light until the end of the study).
Direct link to Lay Summary
Last update: 21.02.2013
Responsible applicant and co-applicants
Name
Institute
Wirz-Justice Anna M.
Centre for Chronobiology Psychiatric Clinic University of Basel
Bitzer Johannes
Abt. Gyn. Sozialmedizin und Psychosomatik Frauenklinik Universitätsspital Basel
Hösli Irene
Frauenklinik Universitätsspital Basel
Riecher-Rössler Anita
Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel Universität Basel
Employees
Name
Institute
Bader Anja
Abteilung Chronobiologie Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel
Alder Judith
Abt. Gyn. Sozialmedizin und Psychosomatik Frauenklinik Universitätsspital Basel
Grossheutschi Yaowapa
Aston Jacqueline
Psychiatrische Universitätspoliklinik Allg. Psychiatrie ambulant c/o Universitätsspital Basel
Associated projects
Number
Title
Start
Funding scheme
102190
Light Therapy for Depression during Pregnancy
01.04.2004
Project funding (Div. I-III)
-