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Abstract: Seasonality is associated with anxiety and depression
posted Monday, 17 December 2007
J Affect Disord. 2008 Jan;105(1-3):147-155
Seasonality is associated with anxiety and depression: The Hordaland health study.
Oyane NM, Bjelland I, Pallesen S, Holsten F, Bjorvatn B.
Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway; Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway; Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, University of Bergen, Norway eNorwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway
Background: The purpose of this study was to assess how seasonal changes in mood and behaviour were associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in a sample from a general population, and to investigate how prevalence figures were affected by month of questionnaire completion.
Methods: The target population included all individuals in the Hordaland county (Norway) born 1953-57 (N = 29,400). In total, 8598 men (57% response rate) and 9983 women (70% response rate) attended the screening station. Half of the men (randomly chosen) and all of the women were offered a questionnaire to fill in with items on seasonality. This was measured using the Global Seasonality Score (GSS), a central component of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure anxiety and depression. Both questionnaires were completed by 2980 men (68.9%) and 8074 women (80.9%).
Results: Seasonality was positively associated with levels of both anxiety and depression regardless of the season the interview took place. In subjects with a low/moderate degree of seasonality there were modestly higher levels of depressive symptoms during November through March than the other months.
Limitations: We had a substantial number of non-responders.
Conclusions: Our results raise the possibility of seasonality being a separate dimensional trait associated with both anxiety and depression.
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Action-potential
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Affective disorders
Mental disorders characterized by dramatic changes or extremes of mood - depression, mania, or both - including depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), and schizo affective disorders.- Click page link for more information -
Alleles
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Two almond-shaped groups of neurons - there is one amygdala (Greek for almond) in each brain hemisphere. They have the primary role in processing and storing memories of emotional reactions.Part of the Limbic System the amygdalae trigger an instant fear reaction to perceived threats, real or imagined.
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Anterior cingulate cortex
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Autonomic arousal
Arousal of the autonomic nervous system which regulates many bodily functions and produces the physical symptoms of stress including the 'fight-or-flight' response.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
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A chemical which is able to bind to receptors of a neurotransmitter and trigger the same biological response as that neurotransmitter.Receptor antagonist
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