Extrait

Background and study aims Chronotherapeutic treatments such as bright light therapy (BLT), wake therapy (WT) and sleep phase advance (SPA) have been successful for the treatment of adults with seasonal and major depression. WT is the fastest acting antidepressant we know. The combination with BLT leads to a stabilization of the anti-depressive effect. To our knowledge, the effect of a combined WT and BLT has never been studied in adolescents suffering from juvenile depression. Juvenile depression is becoming more common and established treatments like medication and psychotherapy are insufficient. Furthermore, the vast majority of patients suffer from sleeping disorders. Wake and light therapy could be powerful instruments for patients with juvenile depression because of their large positive impact on sleep patterns and their anti-depressive effect. Our study aims to find out whether a combined wake and light therapy has an additional benefit compared to light therapy alone. Who can participate? We recruit 60 boys and girls, aged 13 to 18 years, who are admitted to the hospital suffering from moderate to severe depressive symptoms. What does the study involve? Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups: the control group or the experimental group. The control group receives active morning BLT lasting for two weeks and the experimental group receives one night of WT followed by two weeks of active morning BLT. The experimental group patients stay awake for one whole night and they are not allowed to sleep until 5 pm the next day. All patients take part in ten sessions of morning BLT which last 45 minutes each. We use UV-filtered white light. At the end of the study we compare the depressive symptoms, sleep, attention, day and night time activity level, and various other parameters. The patients are followed up immediately after treatment, and two weeks, four weeks and six months after the treatment. What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? Our study is an add-on therapy and all patients receive treatment as usual (TAU) in the hospital. The chronotherapeutic treatment could lead to a faster improvement of depressive symptoms. It is non-invasive and has almost no side-effects. Rarely patients suffer from headache or stinging eyes caused by the bright light. Where is the study run from? The study is run from LWL-University Hospital for Child and Adolescents Psychiatry, Hamm, Germany. When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? The study started in December 2012 and the recruitment is expected to end in December 2013. The data collection will end in July 2014. Who is funding the study? LWL-University Hospital of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamm, Germany. Who is the main contact? Prof.Martin Holtmann [email protected]

Critère d'inclusion

• Juvenile depression and affective dysregulation

Liens

• isrctn
• ictrp