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Light Therapy For Seasonal Affective Disorder With Blue Narrow-Band Light-Emitting Diodes (Leds), Gena Glickman, Brenda Byrne, Carissa Pineda, Walter W. Hauck, George C. Brainard

Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Faculty Papers

Background: While light has proven an effective treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), an optimal wavelength combination has not been determined. Short wavelength light (blue) has demonstrated potency as a stimulus for acute melatonin suppression and circadian phase shifting.

Methods: This study tested the efficacy of short wavelength light therapy for SAD. Blue light emitting diode (LED) units produced 468 nm light at 607 µW/cm2 (27 nm half-peak bandwidth); dim red LED units provided 654 nm at 34 µW/cm2 (21 nm half-peak bandwidth). Patients with major depression with a seasonal pattern, a score of ≥20 on the Structured …