Medical Hypotheses
Volume 51, Issue 4 , Pages 297-298, October 1998

One pacemaker in seasonal affective disorder

Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Tukholmankatu 8 C, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland Phone: +358 9 4713506; Fax: +358 9 471 5478

Received 17 April 1997; accepted 13 May 1997.

Abstract 

Patients with winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often have abnormalities in the resetting of their circadian clock. The circadian cycle appears to be variable across days among these patients, deviating from the exact 24 hours, and peaking at unstable times. The findings suggest that the mean free-running circadian period is longer in winter SAD patients compared to healthy subjects. It is hypothesized that there would be a singular circadian pacemaker in the patients against the two pacemakers in healthy subjects.

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PII: S0306-9877(98)90051-2

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 51, Issue 4 , Pages 297-298, October 1998

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