Doctors Eye New Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder, Shedding Light on Winter Depression (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Some employees seek adjustments for SAD, serious depression triggered by limited daylight. One teacher sued a school district that refused to move her from a windowless basement room. Since she was hired two years ago as a medical assistant, Jennifer Simonsis has come to an agreement with her employer: During the winter, she gets time off to see her doctor, frequent breaks and help in setting up a light-therapy lamp at her desk. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

This study was longitudinal with 85 patients fulfilling the DSM-III-R diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Self-reporting versions (definitely and semidefinitely anchored) corresponding to the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Hamilton Subscale (HAM6), and the Bech–Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (MES) were compared to each other and the clinician-rated version. The unidimensional property of the sum score in each scale was tested by the item-response theory model ad modum Rasch. The scales were also tested for their sensitivity to discriminate between placebo and citalopram therapy. The sum scores and the sum score variances of the definite self-rating versions did not differ significantly from the sum scores of the corresponding observer scales at any of the five time points...

Patients Medical, a leading integrative and holistic medicine center in New York City, offers cutting-edge Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) to help women transition from winter to spring when hormonal modulations are especially high... (Source: Endocrinology News From Medical News Today)

Patients Medical, a leading integrative and holistic medicine center in New York City, offers cutting-edge Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) to help women transition from winter to spring when hormonal modulations are especially high. Rashmi Gulati, MD, Medical Director of Patients Medical and a trained holistic physician with the American College for Advancement of Medicine, helps women gain relief from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) through individualized bioidentical hormone treatments... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Alternative and Complementary Therapies Feb 2010, Vol. 16, No. 1: 55-58. (Source: Alternative & Complementary Therapies)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Although becoming more and more recognized among physicians and psychiatrists the etiology of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) remains unclear. Indeed, the only incontestable fact is the close link between the decrease in sunlight occurring during fall an... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

I think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). What kind of treatment do you recommend? (Source: Dr. Weil Q&A)

Authors: Palinkas LA PMID: 20070785 [PubMed - in process] (Source: CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics)

This study aimed to overcome these methodological issues. During an 8-year timeframe, onset rates of unipolar depressive episodes requiring hospitalization from individuals living up to 15 km from a selected meteorological station were stratified by clinical subtypes and modeled as Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) functions of orthogonal climatic factors obtained by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). For comparison purposes, onset rates stratified by demographic factors and by diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and admission rates were also modeled. The main findings were a negative 1--month delayed relationship between onset rates of episodes with melancholic features and a climatic factor mainly composed of ambient temperature/sunlight, and a negative 1-mon...

Seasonal affective disorder is growing. But there are products that can brighten our day. (Source: Telegraph Health)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

, or SAD, can often occur in people who have bipolar disorder or clinical depression. Here is information out, and resources for dealing with, Seasonal Affective Disorder. (Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder)

Seasonal affective disorder - SAD - was something I used to think people made up as an excuse to be grumpy. How could a lack of sunlight make you depressed? (Source: the Mail online | Health)

Does the season get you down? It could be SAD. Learn more by visiting the MedlinePlus topic page and watching a video. (Source: What's New on MedlinePlus)

 We are told that Christmas, for Christians, should be the happiest time of year, an opportunity to be joyful and grateful with family, friends and colleagues. Yet, according to the National Institute of Health, Christmas is the time of year that people experience the highest incidence of depression. Hospitals and police forces report the highest incidences of suicide and attempted suicide. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals report a significant increase in patients complaining about depression. One North American survey reported that 45% of respondents dreaded the festive season. Why? Is the Grinch in full force during the season? Is it because of the dark winter weather that increases the incidence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? Certainly those ma...

Light therapy is a good treatment option for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Sponsored by:Chemotherapy.com - http://www.chemotherapy.com (Source: MayoClinic.com Full Feed)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

(NaturalNews) Vitamin D is best known for its anti-cancer effects, but suddenly, following a flurry of recent research, it's becoming increasingly recognized for its ability to prevent diseases like diabetes and depression. Now heart disease is also emerging as a chronic health condition that vitamin D can help prevent.Here, we've assembled a collection of relevant research quotations on vitamin D and heart disease from authors like Phyllis Balch, Dr. James Dowd, Dr. Joel Fuhrman and many more. Enjoy this unique collection!Vitamin D in the prevention of heart diseaseDiabetes, both type-1 and type-2, are profoundly linked to low vitamin D levels. Obesity, heart disease, hypertension and stroke are inversely related to sunlight exposure and vitamin D levels. Psoriasis, eczema, and periodonta...

Seasonal Affective Disorder plus December holidays can equal disaster! (Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder)

There is now hope for sufferers of seasonal affective disorder, which causes symptoms including depression, lethargy, irritability and a desire to avoid social situations. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

With the shortest days of the year falling in December, this is the peak time for seasonal affective disorder. Could it be a lack of sunlight that's causing your winter blues? Click through to learn more about SAD and what you can do to defeat seasonal mood changes. Read More December Is Seasonal Depression Awareness Month originally appeared on About.com Depression on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 00:01:53.Permalink | Comment | Email this (Source: About.com Depression)