They are looking for women 18 years-old and older who are willing to participate in their study this winter. The researchers hope to find 20 people for each of three groups. Participants will receive compensation for an initial screening assessment lasting about two hours and subsequent tasks which take about one hour. The research is particularly important for Maine, Sigmon notes. People in northern states like Maine have a higher rate of SAD than people in southern states.
Most sufferers are women.
SAD is marked by feelings common to other forms of depression as well as lethargy, craving for carbohydrates, weight gain and increased need for sleep. Understanding the similarities between SAD and other types of depression, Sigmon says, could lead to new treatments for seasonal depression. Currently, the most common prescription is regular exposure to full-spectrum lights during the winter months. In contrast, non-seasonal depression can be effectively treated with behavioral and cognitive methods. In addition, a 1995 study by Kelly Rohan, a former graduate student who worked with Sigmon, showed some similarities between SAD and other forms of depression.