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Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal discovers Seasonal Affective Disorder while working at the National Institute of Mental Health. Originally a South Africa native, Rosenthal became interested in the subject when he noticed shifts in his own mood and productivity during the winter season. His study can be found here: A Description of the Syndrome and Preliminary Findings With Light Therapy
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Prevalence of seasonal affective disorder at four latitudes: The study evaluated random participants from Nashua, NH, New York, NY, Montgomery County, MD, and Sarasota, FL. The research team found rates of winter SAD and subsyndromal SAD to be significantly higher.
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Dr. Rosenthal's book, "Winter Blues," was published by the Guilford Press. The book helped raise awareness of Seasonal Affective disorder.
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This study conducted in the Netherlands shows that women are more likely to be diagnosed with SAD than men.
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Despite the northern region, this study shows a very low propensity towards SAD in Iceland. <a href='http://"Lack of seasonal mood change in the Icelandic population: Results of a cross-sectional study"' >"Lack of seasonal mood change in the Icelandic population: Results of a cross-sectional study"</a>
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Dr. Thomas A. Wehr and Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal conducted a study compairing patient groups with SAD and those without. They discovered people with SAD produced more melatonin in the winter - a brain chemical that triggers sleepiness and is produced during dark hours.
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Bright-light exposure combined with physical exercise elevates mood: The Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research at the National Public Health Institute in Finland found that physical exercise combined with bright light treatment proved effective for up to 80 percent of patients, compared to about a 60 percent effective rate for bright light treatment alone.
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This double bind study found treatments equally effective for alleviating winter depression when comparing Prozac to bright light therapy. The difference between the two methods - bright light therapy takes effect within a week, while Prozac requires 4-6 weeks to kick in.
