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Corrections and Additions to the History of Light Therapy and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Herbert E. Kern; Alfred J. Lewy, MD, PhD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1990;47(1):90-91. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1990.01810130092014
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To the Editor.—  Although it may not have been their intent, the response by Drs Wehr and Rosenthal1 to Dr Mueller's letter2 will be read by many as a detailed historical review of seasonal affective disorder and light therapy. Unfortunately, their review suffers from several errors and omissions. The following is a more accurate account of our respective roles in the events leading to the first light therapy study at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, Md.Herbert E. Kern is a research scientist who, by 1967, had been aware of a seasonal mood disorder and had begun keeping detailed records of his mood swings. By 1972, he noted that the timing of his seasonal mood changes seemed related to seasonal changes in sunlight intensity and/or day length. In search of information on how light might affect or induce biochemical changes in the brain, Mr Kern

REFERENCES

Wehr TA, Rosenthal NE.  Light therapy and the seasonal affective disorder . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:194-195.
Mueller PS.  Light therapy and the seasonal affective disorder . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:194.
Lewy AJ, Markey SP.  Analysis of melatonin in human plasma by gas chromatography negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry . Science . 1978;;201:741-743.
Lewy AJ, Wehr TA, Goodwin FK, Newsome DA, Markey SP.  Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans . Science . 1980;;210:1267-1269.
Wever RA. The Circadian System of Man . New York, NY: Springer-Verlag NY Inc; 1979;.
Klein DC.  Circadian rhythms in the pineal gland . In: Krieger DT, ed. Endocrine Rhythms . New York, NY: Raven Press; 1979;:203-223.
Lewy AJ, Kern HE, Rosenthal NE, Wehr TA.  Bright artificial light treatment of a manic-depressive patient with a seasonal mood cycle . Am J Psychiatry . 1982;;139:1496-1498.
Rosenthal NE, Lewy AJ, Wehr TA, Kern HE, Goodwin FK.  Seasonal cycling in a bipolar patient . Psychiatry Res . 1983;;8:25-31.

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Wehr TA, Rosenthal NE.  Light therapy and the seasonal affective disorder . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:194-195.
Mueller PS.  Light therapy and the seasonal affective disorder . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:194.
Lewy AJ, Markey SP.  Analysis of melatonin in human plasma by gas chromatography negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry . Science . 1978;;201:741-743.
Lewy AJ, Wehr TA, Goodwin FK, Newsome DA, Markey SP.  Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans . Science . 1980;;210:1267-1269.
Wever RA. The Circadian System of Man . New York, NY: Springer-Verlag NY Inc; 1979;.
Klein DC.  Circadian rhythms in the pineal gland . In: Krieger DT, ed. Endocrine Rhythms . New York, NY: Raven Press; 1979;:203-223.
Lewy AJ, Kern HE, Rosenthal NE, Wehr TA.  Bright artificial light treatment of a manic-depressive patient with a seasonal mood cycle . Am J Psychiatry . 1982;;139:1496-1498.
Rosenthal NE, Lewy AJ, Wehr TA, Kern HE, Goodwin FK.  Seasonal cycling in a bipolar patient . Psychiatry Res . 1983;;8:25-31.

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