References - Effectiveness of Lo-LIGHT therapy lamps for non-seasonal depression
Combined Total Sleep Deprivation and Light Therapy in the Treatment of
Drug-Resistant Bipolar Depression: Acute Response and Long-Term Remission Rates.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. December 2005; 66:1535-40
Benedetti F, Barbini B, Cigala Fugosi M, Colombo C, Dallaspezia S, Pontiggia A, Smeraldi E.
"Some concerns have been raised about the use of LT[Light Therapy]- with light intensities higher than those used in our study - in patients with ocular pathology, and it has been suggested that patients with pre-existing ocular abnormalities and those using photosensitizing drugs undergo LT only with periodic ophthalmologic examination. In rats, lithium has been shown to potentiate the light-induced arachidonic acid release in the retina, affecting phospholipids membranes and then potentiating retinal light damages. None of our patients experienced any side effects from LT, but it should be noted that we used lamps with light intensities much lower than those described in previous literature by other research groups. (i.e. 400 lux vs. 5,000-10,000 lux). Abstract
