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Lichttherapie: Zum Stand der aktuellen Forschung

The Current State of Research in Bright Light Therapy

neuropsychiatrie volume 27, pages 142–148 (2013)Cite this article

Zusammenfassung

Die Bedeutung von Licht für den menschlichen Organismus und insbesondere für das psychische Wohlbefinden ist bereits seit langem bekannt. Lichttherapie gilt als Therapie der Wahl bei saisonalen Depressionen wie der Herbst/Winterdepression. Neue Forschungsergebnisse konnten zeigen, dass Lichttherapie jedoch nicht nur bei saisonalen Depressionen eine Wirkung zeigt, sondern ein vielfältiges therapeutisches Anwendungsspektrum aufweist, das verschiedene affektive Störungen wie unipolare und bipolare depressive Störungen oder Wochenbettdepressionen umfasst, aber auch bei anderen psychiatrischen und neurologischen Erkrankungen wie Alzheimer-Demenz, ADHS, Parkinsonerkrankungen oder verschiedenen Indikationen in der Schlafmedizin eingesetzt werden kann. Der vorliegende Übersichtsartikel gibt einen kurzen Überblick über die neurobiologischen Grundlagen der Lichttherapie, sowie über verschiedene therapeutische Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Lichttherapie und neue Entwicklungen im Bereich der Lichttechnologie.

Abstract

The significance of light for the human organism and especially for the mental health is well-established for a long time. Therefore, the impact of light on mood and the use of bright light as a treatment-option for affective disorders have been studied extensively by scientists. Today bright light therapy is the treatment of choice for saisonal affective disorders. In the last years several clinical trials could demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of bright light therapy for different neurological and psychiatric disorders such as sleep disorders, non-seasonal affective disorders or dementia. This article will give an overview about the neurobiological basis for light therapy and discuss different disorders responsive to light therapy. Finally a short overview about technical aspects of light therapy and new developments in light engineering will be presented.

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Interessenskonflikt

M. Canazei ist für die Bartenbach LichtLabor GmbH tätig.Bei den anderen Autoren ist kein Interessenskonflikt bekannt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Biologische Psychologie, Institut für Psychologie, Universität Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Österreich

    Daniela Bassa &  Elisabeth M. Weiss

  2. Bartenbach LichtLabor GmbH, Aldrans, Österreich

    Markus Canazei

  3. Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Österreich

    Hartmann Hinterhuber

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  1. Daniela Bassa
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  2. Markus Canazei
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  3. Hartmann Hinterhuber
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  4. Elisabeth M. Weiss
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Correspondence to Elisabeth M. Weiss.

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Bassa, D., Canazei, M., Hinterhuber, H. et al. Lichttherapie: Zum Stand der aktuellen Forschung . Neuropsychiatr 27, 142–148 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40211-013-0067-5

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Schlüsselwörter

  • Lichttherapie
  • Affektive Störungen
  • Zirkadian
  • Schlaf
  • Saisonalität

Keywords

  • Light therapy
  • Affective disorders
  • Circadian
  • Sleep
  • Saisonality