Light sensitivity, Melatonin production, and Mood.

TONELLO G, SANDOVAL J, NUÑEZ C, DUCA G, PIRO MB.

Mendoza

Simposio; XII Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology; 2013

LASC

The objective of this study was to measure the possible associations between certain factors related to the visual and non-visual effects of light, what is known of the latter comes from studies on the acute suppression of the hormone melatonin by light exposure. Since several studies confirmed that depressed patients show low concentrations of melatonin at night and that this could be an individual trait marker, it was suggested the hypothesis that individual variations in melatonin response might be related to differences in sensitivity to glare. The present paper investigated in what extent the individual´s volume of melatonin production and glare sensitivity contribute to symptoms of depression. The results showed independence of the volume of melatonin production on glare sensitivity and depressive symptoms. Although a relationship was observed between depression and glare. On the other hand, age under 35 years correlated significantly with high melatonin production during summer and winter depression, according with previous research. Taken together, the results lend support for more investigation on these associations.