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Neuroimaging in Seasons and Winter Depression

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PET and SPECT in Psychiatry

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Abstract

Seasonal fluctuations in mood, behaviour, energy level and appetite are common in humans living in temperate and polar zones. These changes are not necessarily associated with clinical symptoms; however, some people regularly experience severe changes in mood and drive during the dark season. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is regarded as an extreme reaction to changes in environmental light. The underlying mechanism of these seasonal changes and the pathobiology of SAD still remain unclear. However, several lines of evidence suggest a key role of monoamines in modulating seasonal fluctuations in animals and humans. Here, we review the literature on neuroimaging including MRI, SPECT and PET in SAD. Furthermore, the effects of season on the monoamine neurotransmitter systems serotonin and dopamine are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria

    Christoph Spindelegger, Matthäus Willeit, Nicole Praschak-Rieder, Rupert Lanzenberger & Siegfried Kasper MD

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  1. Christoph Spindelegger
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  2. Matthäus Willeit
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  3. Nicole Praschak-Rieder
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  4. Rupert Lanzenberger
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  5. Siegfried Kasper MD
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Correspondence to Siegfried Kasper MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Rudi A.J.O. Dierckx

  2. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, Offenburg, Germany

    Andreas Otte

  3. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Erik F. J. de Vries

  4. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Aren van Waarde

  5. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands

    Johan A. den Boer

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Spindelegger, C., Willeit, M., Praschak-Rieder, N., Lanzenberger, R., Kasper, S. (2014). Neuroimaging in Seasons and Winter Depression. In: Dierckx, R., Otte, A., de Vries, E., van Waarde, A., den Boer, J. (eds) PET and SPECT in Psychiatry. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40384-2_8

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