Seasonal Affective DisorderNCT00001485
Effects of Season on Melatonin Secretion in Healthy Men and Women and Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder
An observational study of Seasonal Affective Disorder, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
As the seasons change during the course of the year, many animals show major changes in their behavior and physiology. Many of these changes are triggered by changes in the length of time each night that the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- How many people
- 116 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jun 1995to Apr 2000
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Normal volunteers must be free of psychiatric illnesses.
Patients must meet the criteria of Rosenthal et al. for the diagnosis of SAD, as determined by a DSM IV diagnostic interview, and must be free of other major psychiatric illnesses.
All subjects must be free of major medical illnesses and must not be taking medications on a regular basis.
Patients must not test positive for antibodies to the AIDS virus.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
About this study
Official title: Gender Differences in the Effects of Season on Patterns of Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion in Healthy Volunteers and Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
As the seasons change during the course of the year, many animals show major changes in their behavior and physiology. Many of these changes are triggered by changes in the length of time each night that the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is produced for a longer time in winter when nights are long, than in summer when nights are short.
Some researchers believe that melatonin may play a similar role in how season effects mood of patients with seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or mood disorder with seasonal pattern is a condition where the normal biorhythm is disturbed during a season, especially autumn-winter. Patients may begin experiencing or experience worsening of depressive symptoms. Patients complain of being constantly tired, craving sugary foods, overeating, and over sleeping.
Read more
Researchers have collected some preliminary data showing that the duration of nighttime melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women, but not in healthy men. However, men diagnosed with SAD have shown longer duration of melatonin secretion in the winter, similar to the duration seen in healthy women. If these early findings are confirmed it may explain why SAD is more common in women than in men.
The purpose of this study is to continue researching the differences in melatonin secretion over the seasons in healthy men and women, and to determine how these findings may apply to patients with SAD.
Read the detailed description
Changes in the duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion that are induced by seasonal changes in the length of the night trigger many of the dramatic seasonal changes in behavior that occur in animals. It has been hypothesized that melatonin plays a similar role as chemical mediator of the effects of season on mood in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For such a hypothesis to be tenable, it would be necessary to show that duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion changes on a seasonal basis in patients with SAD. We have preliminary evidence that the duration (and amplitude) of nocturnal melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women, but not in healthy men. This gender difference, if confirmed, might explain why SAD is more prevalent in women than men. Interestingly, all of five men with SAD that we have studied to date exhibited lengthening of melatonin secretion in winter, as occurs in healthy women. However, the response of women with SAD is less consistent. The purpose of the present protocol is to extend and confirm our finding of gender differences in the response of melatonin secretion to change of season in healthy individuals, and to determine whether and to what extent this response occurs in patients with SAD.
- Conditions
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Keywords
- Chemical Mediators, Circadian Rhythms, Gender Differences, Melatonin, Photoperiodism, Seasonal Changes
- Medical subject headings
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Dec 2002 (estimated)
- Study startJun 1995
- Study completionApr 2000
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Seasonal Affective DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)The sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrolment
- 116 participants
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00001485
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 950149
- Other IDs
- 95-M-0149
- Status last verified
- Aug 1999
- First submitted
- 3 Nov 1999
- Last updated
- 4 Mar 2008
- Results posted
- No
Publications
Wehr TA. The durations of human melatonin secretion and sleep respond to changes in daylength (photoperiod). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991 Dec;73(6):1276-80. doi: 10.1210/jcem-73-6-1276.
PubMed 1955509Wehr TA, Moul DE, Barbato G, Giesen HA, Seidel JA, Barker C, Bender C. Conservation of photoperiod-responsive mechanisms in humans. Am J Physiol. 1993 Oct;265(4 Pt 2):R846-57. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.1993.265.4.R846.
PubMed 8238456
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Mar 2008. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Gender Differences in the Effects of Season on Patterns of Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion in Healthy Volunteers and Patients With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00001485
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 950149
- Conditions
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Keywords
- Chemical Mediators, Circadian Rhythms, Gender Differences, Melatonin, Photoperiodism, Seasonal Changes
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 116 participants
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- Jun 1995
- Study completion
- Apr 2000
- First posted
- 10 Dec 2002 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
As the seasons change during the course of the year, many animals show major changes in their behavior and physiology. Many of these changes are triggered by changes in the length of time each night that the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is produced for a longer time in winter when nights are long, than in summer when nights are short.
Some researchers believe that melatonin may play a similar role in how season effects mood of patients with seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or mood disorder with seasonal pattern is a condition where the normal biorhythm is disturbed during a season, especially autumn-winter. Patients may begin experiencing or experience worsening of depressive symptoms. Patients complain of being constantly tired, craving sugary foods, overeating, and over sleeping.
Researchers have collected some preliminary data showing that the duration of nighttime melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women, but not in healthy men. However, men diagnosed with SAD have shown longer duration of melatonin secretion in the winter, similar to the duration seen in healthy women. If these early findings are confirmed it may explain why SAD is more common in women than in men.
The purpose of this study is to continue researching the differences in melatonin secretion over the seasons in healthy men and women, and to determine how these findings may apply to patients with SAD.
Detailed description
Changes in the duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion that are induced by seasonal changes in the length of the night trigger many of the dramatic seasonal changes in behavior that occur in animals. It has been hypothesized that melatonin plays a similar role as chemical mediator of the effects of season on mood in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For such a hypothesis to be tenable, it would be necessary to show that duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion changes on a seasonal basis in patients with SAD. We have preliminary evidence that the duration (and amplitude) of nocturnal melatonin secretion increases in winter and decreases in summer in healthy women, but not in healthy men. This gender difference, if confirmed, might explain why SAD is more prevalent in women than men. Interestingly, all of five men with SAD that we have studied to date exhibited lengthening of melatonin secretion in winter, as occurs in healthy women. However, the response of women with SAD is less consistent. The purpose of the present protocol is to extend and confirm our finding of gender differences in the response of melatonin secretion to change of season in healthy individuals, and to determine whether and to what extent this response occurs in patients with SAD.
Study design
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Not reported in the source record.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Mar 2008.
- Background: PubMed 1955509Wehr TA. The durations of human melatonin secretion and sleep respond to changes in daylength (photoperiod). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991 Dec;73(6):1276-80. doi: 10.1210/jcem-73-6-1276.
- Background: PubMed 8238456Wehr TA, Moul DE, Barbato G, Giesen HA, Seidel JA, Barker C, Bender C. Conservation of photoperiod-responsive mechanisms in humans. Am J Physiol. 1993 Oct;265(4 Pt 2):R846-57. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.1993.265.4.R846.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Seasonal Affective Disorder, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Mar 2008. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00001485, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Mar 2008.