@article{ref1,
title="The effect of bright light therapy on irritability in bipolar depression: a single-blind randomised control trial",
journal="International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice",
year="2023",
author="Fregna, Lorenzo and Attanasio, Francesco and Colombo, Cristina",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The symptom-complex irritability, widely used in descriptions of bipolar patients' manic and mixed states, also represents a common feature in depressive phases. Irritability negatively affects the clinical course of depression, leading to a higher risk of treatment non-adherence, violence, and suicide attempts. Nevertheless, proportional attention from the scientific literature seems to be scarce. We conducted the first randomised controlled trial with the aim of evaluating BLT as a possible therapeutic strategy for irritability in bipolar depression.<br><br>METHODS: 180 inpatients were randomly assigned to: Group A exposed to bright light therapy (BLT) daily, or Group B treated with pharmacotherapy only. A qualitative assessment of irritability was performed after a 4-week program.<br><br>RESULTS: Group A showed about one-third fewer cases of irritability compared to Group B, this reduction was not related to the overall remission of depressive symptoms.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the usefulness of BLT in irritability in bipolar depression.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1365-1501",
doi="10.1080/13651501.2023.2221286",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13651501.2023.2221286"
}