The chronobiology and neurobiology of winter seasonal affective disorder

Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience

Volumn 9, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 315-324

  Levitan, Robert D ^a,b,c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO   (Canada)

^b CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH   (Canada)

^c Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms   (Canada)

Author keywords

Circadian rhythm; Genetics; Melatonin; Monoamine neurotransmitter; Pathophysiology; Photoperiodism; Seasonal affective disorder

Indexed keywords

DOPAMINE; MELATONIN; NORADRENALIN; SEROTONIN;

CHRONOBIOLOGY; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; DAY LENGTH; GENETIC ASSOCIATION; GENETIC POLYMORPHISM; HORMONE RELEASE; HUMAN; NEUROBIOLOGY; NEUROIMAGING; NONHUMAN; PHOTOPERIODICITY; PROTEIN FUNCTION; REVIEW; SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER; STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE; SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS; WINTER;

ANIMALS; CHRONOBIOLOGY; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; HUMANS; NEUROBIOLOGY; SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER; SEASONS;

EID: 35548948023     PISSN: 12948322     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (85)

1. Rosenthal NE, Sack DA, Gillin JC, et al. Seasonal affective disorder: a description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984;41:72-80.
2. Kasper S, Wehr TA, Bartko JJ, Gaist PA, Rosenthal NE. Epidemiological findings of seasonal changes in mood and behavior. A telephone survey of Montgomery County, Maryland. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;46:823-833.
3. Magnusson A. An overview of epidemiological studies on seasonal affective disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2000;101:176-184.
4. Rosenthal NE, Genhart M, Jacobsen FM, Skwerer RG, Wehr TA. Disturbances of appetite and weight regulation in seasonal affective disorder. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1987;499:216-230.
5. Sher L. The role of genetic factors in the etiology of seasonality and seasonal affective disorder: an evolutionary approach. Med Hypotheses. 2000;54:704-707.
6. Eagles JM. Seasonal affective disorder: a vestigial evolutionary advantage? Med Hypotheses. 2004;63:767-772.
7. Levitan RD, Masellis M, Basile VS, et al. The dopamine-4 receptor gene associated with binge eating and weight gain in women with seasonal affective disorder: an evolutionary perspective. Biol Psychiatry. 2004;56:665-669.
8. Davis C, Levitan RD. Seasonality and seasonal affective disorder (SAD): an evolutionary viewpoint tied to energy conservation and reproductive cycles. J Affect Disord. 2005;87:3-10.
9. Levitan RD, Masellis M, Lam RW, et al. A birth-season/DRD4 gene interaction predicts weight gain and obesity in women with seasonal affective disorder: a seasonal thrifty phenotype hypothesis. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2006;31:2498-2503.
10. Rosenthal NE, Bradt GH, Wehr TA. Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Mental Health; 1987.
11. Rosen LN, Targum SD, Terman M, et al. Prevalence of seasonal affective disorder at four latitudes. Psychiatry Res. 1990;31:131-144.
12. Michalak EE, Lam RW. Seasonal affective disorder: the latitude hypothesis revisited. Can J Psychiatry. 2002;47:787-788.
13. Magnusson A, Axelsson J. The prevalence of seasonal affective disorder is low among descendants of Icelandic emigrants in Canada. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1993;50: 947- 51.
14. Levitt AJ, Boyle MH. The impact of latitude on the prevalence of seasonal depression. Can J Psychiatry. 2002;47:361-367.
15. Wehr TA. The durations of human melatonin secretion and sleep respond to changes in daylength (photoperiod). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991;73:1276-1280.
16. Checkley SA, Murphy DG, Abbas M, et al. Melatonin rhythms in seasonal affective disorder. Br J Psychiatry. 1993;163:332-337.
17. Partonen T, Vakkuri O, Lamberg-Allardt C, Lonnqvist J. Effects of bright light on sleepiness, melatonin, and 25-hydrocyvitamin D(3) in winter seasonal affective disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 1996;39;865-872.
18. Danilenko KV, Putilov AA, Russkikh GS, Duffy LK, Ebbesson SO. Diurnal and seasonal variations of melatonin and serotonin in women with seasonal affective disorder. Arctic Med Res. 1994;53:137-145.
19. Koorengevel KM, Beersma DGM, den Boer JA, van den Hoofdakker RH. A forced desynchrony study of circadian pacemaker characteristics in seasonal affective disorder. J Biol Rhythms. 2002;17:463-475.
20. Wehr TA, Duncan WC Jr, Sher L, et al. A circadian signal of change of season in patients with seasonal affective disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001;58:1108-1114.
21. Provencio I, Rodriguez IR, Jiang G, Hayes WP, Moreira EF, Rollag MD. A novel human opsin in the inner retina. J Neurosci. 2000;15;20:600-605.
22. Provencio I, Rollag MD, Castrucci AM. Photoreceptive net in the mammalian retina. This mesh of cells may explain how some blind mice can still tell day from night. Nature. 2002;415:493.
23. van der Horst GT, Muijtjens M, Kobayashi K, et al. Mammalian Cry1 and Cry2 are essential for maintenance of circadian rhythms. Nature. 1999;98:672-630.
24. Lewy AJ, Sack RL, Singer CM, White DM, Hoban TM. Winter depression and the phase-shift hypothesis for bright light's therapeutic effects: history, theory, and experimental evidence J Biol Rhythyms. 1988:3:121-134.
25. Lewy AJ, Sack RL, Miller LS, Hoban TM. Antidepressant and circadian phase-shifting effects of light. Science. 1987;235:352-354.
26. Lewy AJ, Bauer VK, Cutler NL, et al. Morning vs evening light treatment of patients with winter depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:890-896.
27. Sack RL, Lewy AJ, White DM, Singer CM, Fireman MJ, Vandiver R. Morning vs evening light treatment for winter depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1990;47:343-351.
28. Eastman CI, Gallo LC, Lahmeyer HW, Fogg LF. The circadian rhythm of temperature during light treatment for winter depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1993;34:210-220.
29. Wirz-Justice A, Krauchi K, Brunner DP, et al. Circadian rhythms and sleep regulation in seasonal affective disorder. Acta Neuropsychiatrica. 1995;7:41-43.
30. Thompson C, Childs PA, Martin NJ, Rodin I, Smythe PJ. Effects of morning phototherapy on circadian markers in seasonal affective disorder. Br J Psychiatry. 1997;170:431-435.
31. Rosenthal NE, Levendosky AA, Skwerer RG, et al. Effects of light treatment on core body temperature in seasonal affective disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 1990;27:39-50.
32. Murray G, Michalak EE, Levitt AJ, Levitan RD, Enns MW, Morehouse R, Lam RW. O sweet spot where art thou? Light treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder and the circadian time of sleep. J Affect Disord. 2006;90:227-231.
33. Avery DH, Dahl K, Savage MV, et al. Circadian temperature and cortisol rhythms during a constant routine are phase-delayed in hypersomnic winter depression [published erratum appears in Biol Psychiatry 1997;42:636]. Biol Psychiatry. 1997;1:1109-1123.
34. Lewy AJ, Lefler BJ, Emens JS, Bauer VK. The circadian basis of winter depression. PNAS. 2006;103:7414-7419.
35. Terman M, Terman JS, Quitkin FM, McGrath PJ, Stewart JW, Rafferty B. Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder. A review of efficacy. Neuropsychopharmacology. 1989;2:1-22.
36. Gaynes BN, Ekstrom D, Hamer RM, et al. The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Am J Psychiatry. 2005;162:656-662.
37. Terman JS, Terman M, Lo ES, Cooper TB. Circadian time of morning light administration and therapeutic response in winter depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001;58:69-75.
38. Burgess HJ, Fogg LF, Young MA, Eastman CI. Bright light therapy for winter depression - is phase advancing beneficial? Chronobiol Int. 2004;21:759-775.
39. Partonen T, Treutlein J, Alpman A, et al. Three circadian clock genes Per2, Arntl, and Npas2 contribute to winter depression. Ann Med. 2007;39:229-238.
40. Carlsson A, Svennerholm L, Winblad B. Seasonal and circadian monoamine variations in human brains examined post mortem. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1980;(suppl 280):75-85.
41. Brewerton, TD. Seasonal variation of serotonin function in humans: research and clinical implications. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1989;1:153-164.
42. Lacoste V, Wirz-Justice A. Seasonal variation in normal subjects: an update of variables current in depression research. In: Rosenthal, NE, Blehar M, eds. Seasonal Affective Disorders and Phototherapy. New York, NY; Guilford Press; 1989:167-229.
43. Joseph-Vanderpool JR, Jacobsen FM, Murphy DL, Hill JL, Rosenthal NE. Seasonal variation in behavioural responses to m-CPP in patients with seasonal affective disorder and controls. Biol Psychiatry. 1993;33:496-504.
44. Coiro V, Volpi R, Marchesi C, et al. Abnormal serotonergic control of prolactin and cortisol secretion in patients with seasonal affective disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1993;18:551-556.
45. Yatham LN, Michalon M. Hormonal responses to dl-fenfluramine challenge are not blunted in seasonal affective disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1995;20:433-438.
46. Schwartz PJ, Murphy DL, Wehr TA, et al. Effects of metachlorophenylpiperazine infusions in patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Diurnal responses and nocturnal regulatory mechanisms. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54:375-385.
47. Levitan RD, Kaplan AS, Brown GM, et al. Hormonal and subjective responses to intravenous m-chlorophenylpiperazine in women with seasonal affective disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:244-249.
48. Anand A, Charney DS, Delgado PL, McDougle CJ, Heninger GR, Price LH. Neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to intravenous m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) in depressed patients and healthy comparison subjects [see comments]. Am J Psychiatry. 1994;151:1626-1630.
49. Brewerton TD, Mueller EA, Lesem MD, et al. Neuroendocrine responses to m-chlorophenylpiperazine and L-tryptophan in bulimia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992;49:852-861.
50. Levitan RD, Kaplan AS, Joffe R, Levitt A, Brown G. Hormonal and subjective responses to intravenous mCPP in bulimia nervosa. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54: 521-527.
51. Jimerson DC, Wolfe BE, Metzger ED, Finkelstein DM, Cooper TB, Levine JM. Decreased serotonin function in bulimia nervosa. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54:529-534.
52. Blundell JE. Is there a role for serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) in feeding? Int J Obes. 1977;1:15-42.
53. Young SN, Smith SE, Pihl R, Ervin FR. Tryptophan depletion causes a rapid lowering of mood in normal males. Psychopharmacology. 1985;87:173-177.
54. Neumeister A, Praschak-Rieder N, Hesselmann B, et al. Rapid tryptophan depletion in drug-free depressed patients with seasonal affective disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1997;154:1153-1155.
55. Smith KA, Fairburn CG, Cowen PJ. Relapse of depression after rapid depletion of tryptophan. Lancet. 1997;349:915-919.
56. Leyton M, Ghadirian AM, Young SN, et al. Depressive relapse following acute tryptophan depletion in patients with major depressive disorder. J Psychopharmacol. 2000;14:284-287.
57. Lam RW, Zis AP, Grewal A, Delgado PL, Charney DS, Krystal JH. Effects of rapid tryptophan depletion in patients with seasonal affective disorder in remission after light therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996,53:41-44.
58. Neumeister A, Praschak-Rieder N, Besselmann B, Rao ML, Gluck J, Kasper S. Effects of tryptophan depletion on drug-free patients with seasonal affective disorder during a stable response to bright light therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54:133-138.
59. Neumeister A, Praschak-Rieder N, Hesselmann B, et al. Effects of tryptophan depletion in fully remitted patients with seasonal affective disorder during summer. Psychol Med. 1998;28:257-264.
60. Lam RW, Bowering TA, Tarn EM, et al. Effects of rapid tryptophan depletion in patients with seasonal affective disorder in natural summer remission. Psychol Med. 2000;30:79-87.
61. Smith KA, Fairburn CG, Cowen PJ. Symptomatic relapse in bulimia nervosa following acute tryptophan depletion. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1999;56:171-176.
62. Rosenthal NE, Genhart MJ, Caballero B, et al. Psychobiological effects of carbohydrate- and protein-rich meals in patients with seasonal affective disorder and normal controls. Biol Psychiatry. 1989;25:1029-1040.
63. Wurtman RJ. Nutrients that modify brain function. Sci Am. 1982,246:50-59.
64. Willeit M, Praschak-Rieder N, Neumeister A, et al. [123I]-beta-CIT SPECT imaging shows reduced brain serotonin transporter availability in drug-free depressed patients with seasonal affective disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2000;47:482-489.
65. Lehto S, Tolmunen T, Joensuu M, et al. Midbrain binding of [123I]nor-beta-CIT in atypical depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2006;30:1251-1255.
66. Sohn C, Lam RW. Update on the biology of seasonal affective disorder: CME 3: review article. CNS Spectrums. 2005;10:635-646.
67. Lesch KP, Bengel D, Heils A, et al. Association of anxiety-related traits with a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region. Science. 1996;274:1527-1531.
68. Rosenthal NE, Mazzanti CM, Barnett RL, et al. Role of serotonin transporter promoter repeat length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in seasonality and seasonal affective disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 1998;3:175-177.
69. Sher L, Hardin TA, Greenberg BD, Murphy DL, Li Q, Rosenthal NE. Seasonality associated with the serotonin transporter promoter repeat length polymorphism. Am J Psychiatry, 1999;156:1837.
70. Johansson C, Willeit M, Levitan R, et al. The serotonin transporter promoter repeat length polymorphism, seasonal affective disorder and seasonality. Psychol Med. 2003;33:785-792.
71. Willeit M, Praschak-Rieder N, Neumeister A. A polymorphism (5HTTLPR) in the serotonin transporter promoter gene is associated with DSM-IV depression subtypes in seasonal affective disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2003;8:942-946.
72. Neumeister A, Konstantinidis A, Stastny J, et al. Association between serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5HTTLPR) and behavioral responses to tryptophan depletion in healthy women with and without family history of depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002;59:613-620.
73. Lenzinger E, Neumeister A, Praschak-Rieder N, et al. Behavioral effects of tryptophan depletion in seasonal affective disorder associated with the serotonin transporter gene? Psychiatry Res. 1999;85:241-246.
74. Neumeister A, Turner EH, Matthews JR, et al. Effects of tryptophan depletion vs catecholamine depletion in patients with seasonal affective disorder in remission with light therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:524-530.
75. Lam RW, Tarn EM, Grewal A, Yatham LN. Effects of alpha-methyl- paratyrosine-induced catecholamine depletion in patients with seasonal affective disorder in summer remission. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001;25(5 suppl):S97-S101.
76. Hebert M, Beattie CW, Tarn EM, Yatham LN, Lam RW. Electroretinography in patients with winter seasonal affective disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2004;127:27-34.
77. Nir I, Harrison JM, Haque R, et al. Dysfunctional light-evoked regulation of cAMP in photoreceptors and abnormal retinal adaptation in mice lacking dopamine D4 receptors. J Neurosci. 2002;22:2063-2073.
78. Asghari V, Sanyal S, Buchwaldt S, Paterson A, Jovanovic V, Van Tol HH. Modulation of intracellular cyclic AMP levels by different human dopamine D4 receptor variants. J Neurochem. 1995;65:1157-1165.
79. Levitan RD, Masellis M, Lam RW, et al. Childhood inattention and dysphoria and adult obesity associated with the dopamine D4 receptor gene in overeating women with seasonal affective disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2004;29:179-186.
80. Neumeister A, Willeit M, Praschak-Rieder N, et al. Dopamine transporter availability in symptomatic depressed patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy controls. Psychol Med. 2001;31:1467-1473.
81. Meador-Woodruff JH, Damask SP, Wang J, Haroutunian V, Davis KL, Watson SJ. Dopamine receptor mRNA expression in human striatum and neocortex. Neuropsychopharmacology. 1996;15:17-29.
82. Schwartz P, Murphy D, Wehr TA, et al. Effects of metachlorophenylpiperazine infusions in patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Diurnal response and nocturnal regulatory mechanisms. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997;54: 375-385.
83. Anderson JL, Vasile RG, Mooney JJ, Bloomingdale KL, Samson JA, Schildkraut JJ. Changes in norepinephrine output following light therapy for fall/winter seasonal depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1992;32:700-704.
84. Rudorfer MV, Skwerer RG, Rosenthal NE. Biogenic amines in seasonal affective disorder: effects of light therapy. Psychiatry Res. 1993;46:19-28.
85. Ding YC, Chi HC, Grady DL, et al. Evidence of positive selection acting at the human dopamine receptor D4 gene locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99:309-314.