Efficacy of bright light therapy in perinatal depression: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Mar 27, 2022Journal of psychiatric research

Bright light therapy may help depression during pregnancy and after birth: A controlled clinical trial

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Abstract

At the end of the study, response rates were 75% for bright light therapy and 18.2% for placebo.

Bright light therapy (BLT) is associated with significantly higher response rates compared to placebo in perinatal depression.
Remission rates for BLT were 41.7%, while the placebo group had a 0% remission rate.
No significant differences were found between the groups regarding treatment-related side effects.
The study involved 30 women diagnosed with major depressive disorder, with 23 completing the trial.
Findings are limited by the small sample size, which may affect the broader applicability of the results.

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BACKGROUND: Uncertainties and difficulties associated with the current treatment modalities for perinatal depression (PND) may cause some mothers to avoid treatment. Raising awareness about the effectiveness and safety of bright light therapy (BLT) may help to alleviate the challenges of PND. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BLT versus placebo in PND.

METHOD: A total of 30 women who were either pregnant or in first year postpartum and diagnosed with major depressive disorder were enrolled; 23 completed the study. Patients were randomly assigned to either the BLT (10,000 lux) or placebo (<500 lux) group. BLT and placebo light were applied for 45 min in the morning every day for a 3-week period. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were administered weekly to evaluate response and remission rates and depression scores.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of baseline depression scores. At the end of the study, the response rates assessed according to MADRS were 75% for BLT and 18.2% for placebo (p = .006), and remission rates were 41.7% vs. 0% (p = .016), respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups (p > .05) in terms of treatment-related side effects. The main limitation of this study is its small sample size, which limits the generalizability of the study's findings.

CONCLUSION: The results indicate that BLT is more effective than placebo and is reliable in terms of side effects in PND patients. In order to expand the use of BLT in PND, new studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

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Efficacy of bright light therapy in perinatal depression: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

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