A light in the EAR

This light in the EAR for depression, especially seasonal affective disorder - a type of winter blues - seems so unusual that I thought it deserves good detail.

From the Posit Science web site
Bad Weather Got You Down? A Light in the Ear Canal Might Help
By Marghi Merzenich on November 8, 2011
Do long, dark winter nights get you down? For those affected with the form of depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the winter can be a difficult time. The National Health Service of the UK estimates that 7% of Britons are affected by SAD, and U.S. estimates hover between 4% and 6%. According to Mayo Clinic, SAD occurs most commonly during the winter months and happens because of an imbalance of melatonin production, which can disrupt the body's internal clock and lead to depressive symptoms like anxiety, lack of concentration, irritability, and hopelessness.
The most common therapy to date involves prolonged exposure to bright light (30 minutes at 10,000 lux – with the average office lighting being around 400 lux, and a bright sunny day being between 10,000 and 25,000 lux.) However, a new study from a Finnish medical company has found that a 12 minute session of light focused in the ear canal may be just as effective in treating SAD. The researchers channel the light into photosensitive areas of the brain via the ear canal via a headset device for 12 minutes a day. You can learn more about the device and the corresponding clinical trials in this article.

Semi-scientific article
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/08/4038044/bright-light-into-the-ear-canal.html
The article includes this italicized statement:
"We presented earlier that the human brain is sensitive to light. These two clinical trials demonstrate that channeling bright light via ear canal into brain's photosensitive areas effectively prevents and treats seasonal affective disorder," comments Juuso Nissilä, Valkee's co-founder and chief scientist.

"We presented earlier that the human brain is sensitive to light. These two clinical trials demonstrate that channeling bright light via ear canal into brain's photosensitive areas effectively prevents and treats seasonal affective disorder," comments Juuso Nissilä, Valkee's co-founder and chief scientist.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/08/4038044/bright-light-into-the-ear-canal.html#ixzz1e4C2K6S2

Here is the commercial product being discussed:
http://www.valkee.com/uk/
It seems to have a bright light on an ear bud that can be inserted in the ear canal.  They don't ship to the US yet but they are working on it.  Current cost is about $300.




--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety