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Retinal melatonin and dopamine in seasonal affective disorder

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Summary

The author describes how phototherapy may treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) by stimulating the production of retinal dopamine and suppressing the production of retinal melatonin. This hypothesis offers a framework in which winter-induced retinal dopamine deficiency or retinal melatonin overactivity may cause SAD and by which light reverses this syndrome. This hypothesis is consistent with recent data indicating that phototherapy in SAD acts specifically through the eyes.

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  1. D. A. Oren M.D.

    Present address: , Building 10, Room 4S239, 9000, Rockville Pike, 20892, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

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  1. Clinical Psychobiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md, USA

    D. A. Oren M.D.

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Oren, D.A. Retinal melatonin and dopamine in seasonal affective disorder. J. Neural Transmission 83, 85–95 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01244455

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