光疗法对产前抑郁症影响的研究

纽约，纽约，2001年5月24日—每10个妇女中就有一个在怀孕期间患有临床抑郁症，这增加了她们患产后抑郁症的风险。许多准妈妈拒绝服用抗抑郁药物，担心药物可能对胎儿发育和孩子的长期健康造成潜在的、通常未知的危险。来自纽约州立精神病学研究所哥伦比亚长老会医学中心的研究人员，与耶鲁大学和路易斯维尔大学合作，正在进行临床试验，以开发光疗法，作为一种安全、有效的替代传统药物治疗产前抑郁症的方法。明亮的光线疗法已经成功地应用于冬季抑郁症患者，在初步试验中已经显示出对抑郁孕妇的希望。首席研究员Michael Terman博士，纽约州精神病学研究所临床时间生物学项目主任，哥伦比亚大学内科和外科医学院临床心理学教授，说:“治疗抑郁症是一个巨大的挑战，而这项研究为孕妇和她们的家庭提供了一个建设性的新选择。”特曼博士先前的研究表明，光疗法通常能产生快速的抗抑郁反应——通常在几天内——而且副作用可以忽略不计。该临床试验涉及每位患者的妇产科医生和研究精神病学家Deborah A. Deliyannides(医学博士)之间的密切联系，Deborah A. Deliyannides对患有抑郁症的孕妇和母亲有丰富的临床经验。参与者将被分配到两个治疗组，每个组代表一个特定剂量的光疗法，其中一个设计得比另一个更有效。他们被要求每天早上留出一个小时用于光疗，在醒来10分钟后开始(使用特别为这项研究而设计的新灯箱)。 Treatment continues on a daily basis for five weeks; progress is monitored through clinical visits, telephone contacts with staff, and periodic measurements of melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone). Changes in the timing of the brain’s release of melatonin—measured in saliva—may indicate an underlying mechanism of the antidepressant response to light therapy. After the initial five-week period, participants will have the opportunity to continue with treatment—and try different light doses if the first one is inadequate—up until and after the birth of their babies. Participants in the study receive expert clinical evaluation, treatment, and the loan of treatment apparatus at no cost. Pregnant women face unique challenges and can become overwhelmed by the physiological, career, and family changes that accompany pregnancy. This makes them susceptible to depression and reluctant to seek treatment. One recent participant describes the experience of antepartum depression and her decision to participate in the light therapy trial: “I felt really, really hopeless. All the fun stuff you’re supposed to do when you’re pregnant, I couldn’t do, didn’t do, and I didn’t want to do. A natural childbirth was important to me—if I wasn’t going to use an epidural, I certainly didn’t want to use Prozac for my depression. Light therapy made a huge difference.” For more information, the Clinical Chronobiology Program at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center can be reached at 212-543-6118. A study description and application form are also available atwww.pregnancylight.org．

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