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Introduction: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a proposed mental disorder still controversial. This condition is prevalent in northern latitudes, but few studies have been conducted at locations in the southern hemisphere. It is usually assessed by the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). This study aimed to evaluate, through on-line questionnaire, the hypothesis that, in the Brazilian population, latitude and longitude influence SPAQ scores. Methods: An advertisement was posted on a sleep medicine website inviting visitors to investigate seasonal patterns of behavior and mood, using a Brazilian Portuguese version of the SPAQ. The geographic coordinates of the place of residence of each respondent were analyzed as a continuous variable or distributed in quartiles of latitude and longitude. The psychometric properties of the SPAQ were assessed by reliability and factor analyses. Results: Answers from 1001 respondents out of 1045 were considered eligible. High SPAQ scores were observed in 287 respondents, equally distributed among all latitude and longitude quartiles. Data collected in different seasons and during daylight saving time did not differ significantly in any of the scores for SPAQ dimensions. No correlations between SPAQ scores and latitude or longitude were observed. Psychometric properties of the SPAQ were preserved in all geographic locations. Conclusion: The finding of similar SPAQ scores at a wide latitude range defies the concept of SAD symptoms as latitude or longitude-dependent phenomena.

Circannual rhythms and seasonality have long been in the interest of research. In humans, seasonal changes in mood have been extensively investigated since a substantial part of the population experiences worsening of mood during winter. Questions remain regarding accompanying physiological phenomena. We report seasonal effects on the acoustic startle response in a cross-sectional ( n = 124) and a longitudinal sample ( n = 23). Startle magnitudes were larger in winter (sample 1: p = 0.026; sample 2: p = 0.010) compared to summer months. Although the findings need to be replicated they may have implications regarding the timing of startle experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a proposed mental disorder still controversial. This condition is prevalent in northern latitudes, but few studies have been conducted at locations in the southern hemisphere. It is usually assessed by the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). This study aimed to evaluate, through on-line questionnaire, the hypothesis that, in the Brazilian population, latitude and longitude influence SPAQ scores. Methods: An advertisement was posted on a sleep medicine website inviting visitors to investigate seasonal patterns of behavior and mood, using a Brazilian Portuguese version of the SPAQ. The geographic coordinates of the place of residence of each respondent were analyzed as a continuous variable or distributed in quartiles of latitude and longitude. The psychometric properties of the SPAQ were assessed by reliability and factor analyses. Results: Answers from 1001 respondents out of 1045 were considered eligible. High SPAQ scores were observed in 287 respondents, equally distributed among all latitude and longitude quartiles. Data collected in different seasons and during daylight saving time did not differ significantly in any of the scores for SPAQ dimensions. No correlations between SPAQ scores and latitude or longitude were observed. Psychometric properties of the SPAQ were preserved in all geographic locations. Conclusion: The finding of similar SPAQ scores at a wide latitude range defies the concept of SAD symptoms as latitude or longitude-dependent phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Research studies on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) among immigrant populations are scarce. The objective of this article was to explore the associated risk and protective factors on prevalence of winter SAD (W-SAD), sub syndromal SAD (S-SAD) and Summer-SAD among five immigrant groups living in Oslo, Norway. Methods: The Oslo Immigrants Health study (innvandrer HUBRO, 2002), is a large cross sectional epidemiological survey conducted among five of the largest immigrant groups living in Oslo. 1047 subjects were included in the analysis out of 3019 who participated in the survey. Mailed questionnaire which included selected items of the seasonal pattern assessment questionnaire (SPAQ), Hopkins symptom check list (HSCL) and other variables were used in the analysis. Results: The lowest levels of W-SAD were found among Sri Lankan men and women and the highest among Iranians. W-SAD was significantly associated with country of birth, younger age, smoking, presence of mental distress, frequent visits to general practitioner or psychiatrist, self reported poor health and presence of chronic disorders. S-SAD was significantly associated with country of birth, smoking and higher levels of alcohol consumption. Limitations: SPAQ was not culturally validated. Poor response rate (39.7%) can also be considered as a limitation. Conclusions: Ethnic differences in W-SAD and S-SAD were observed. Sri Lankans had the lowest levels of W-SAD. However, there is a need for culturally validated instruments and further research must focus on exploring protective factors for SAD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: This study examined seasonality in a community sample of five diagnostic groups: normal subjects, those with non-seasonal depression (NSD), seasonal depression (SD), non-seasonal bipolar disorder (NSBD) and seasonal bipolar disorder (SBD). Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted across the Province of Ontario. Seasonal changes in mood and behaviour were determined using the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Five additional seasonality items consisting of depressive symptoms were included in the interview. The mean global severity of seasonality (GSS) scores were obtained and the entire inventory of 11 seasonality items were compared across the identified groups. Results: The mean GSS score for the controls was 5.2 (S.D.=4.0), 8.0 (S.D.=4.9) for NSD, 10.5 (S.D.=3.9) for SD, 10.5 (S.D.=5.4) for NSBD and 13.4 (S.D.=5.4) for SBD. These scores differed significantly (F=61.68, df=4, p<0.001). For the majority of the individual items, the SBD group rated the highest degree of seasonal fluctuation, while the NSBD and SD groups had nearly identical item scores. Limitations: Limitations in this study include the relatively small number of subjects in the NSBD and SBD groups, and the inherent limitations in a telephone interview. Conclusions: Individuals with bipolar disorder experience greater seasonality than those with depression or healthy controls. Even the non-seasonal bipolar group had as much seasonal fluctuation as the seasonal depression group, which has important implications for the management of bipolar illness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: In 1984, Rosenthal et al. described a group of patients characterised by repeated winter depression with atypical symptoms eventually followed by summer mania or hypomania (seasonal affective disorder, SAD). The relationship between SAD and the classical manic-depressive disorder is uncertain. The aim of this study was to validate the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) classification in relation to the DSM-III-R criteria of seasonal patterns in a group of patients with bipolar affective disorder and to evaluate the stability of the SPAQ score index over time. Methods: A group of bipolar patients were followed for 3 years with examinations every third month and at hospitalisation. At inclusion and at each following examination the patients were rated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Newcastle Depression Rating Scale, and the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale. At inclusion and once a year the patients completed the SPAQ. Results: Fifty-six patients agreed to participate and 46 patients completed 1 year or more. Eight patients, all women, had at least one SPAQ score index (SSI) of 11 or more. Women scored significantly higher than men on SPAQ. The test/re-test reliability of SSI between two consecutive years was good, but decreased as the time difference between tests increased. Moreover, we found no relation between seasonal variations of affective episodes according to SSI and DSM-III-R. Limitations: The group of patients with seasonality according to DSM-III-R or SSI was small. Conclusion: The validity of SSI between two consecutive years is good, but decreases as the time difference between tests increases. There is no relationship between seasonality defined by DSM-III-R and SSI. Female bipolar patients show, as the general population, seasonal variations in mood, energy, sociality, appetite, and sleep independently of their affective episodes. SSI cannot be used for the prediction of seasonal variation in a group of bipolar patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]