Immediate effect of bright light on rest-state oxygen consumption in seasonal affective disorder

Objective: to reveal whether bright light may immediately activate energy expenditure in humans. Subjects and methods: 10 women with diagnosis of winter depression and 10 matched by age, body mass index and menopausal status non-seasonal women attended the Institute in the morning twice within 1–5 days to receive 30-min bright white light and non-bright red light (in different days). Oxyspirography was performed for 5 minutes before, at the end and 15 minutes after the end of the light intervention. Results and conclusion: the levels of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide emission did not depend on either the type of light or subjects group. The study did not reveal any immediate effect of bright light on energy expenditure.

Ivanova Ya.A. – chief physician, e-mail: ivanovaya@physiol.ru

Vodyanitskiy S.N. – researcher

Uryumtsev D.Yu. – researcher

Krivoshchekov S.G. – doctor of medical sciences, professor, head of laboratory

Grishin O.V. – doctor of medical sciences, head of laboratory

Danilenko K.V. – doctor of medical sciences, vice-director on scientific and clinical research, e-mail: danilenko@physiol.ru