New and changing uses of light therapy

Light therapy has potential benefits for various psychiatric disorders beyond seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

• Light therapy has shown efficacy in treating nonseasonal major depressive disorder and bipolar depression, including cases resistant to conventional treatments.
• Patients with antepartum depression may benefit from light therapy as an alternative to medication during pregnancy.
• Cognitive improvements have been observed in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when treated with light therapy.
• In Parkinson's disease, light therapy has been associated with improvements in motor function alongside antidepressant effects.
• Elderly patients with dementia have experienced partial alleviation of rest-activity disturbances under light therapy.
• A new initiative is exploring the combined use of light therapy, sleep deprivation, and sleep phase advance therapy to enhance recovery in hospitalized patients with severe depression.

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