TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy evaluation and facial expressions biomarker of light therapy in youths with subthreshold depression
T2 - A randomized control trial study
AU - Chen, Xin
AU - Liu, Lin
AU - Mei, Huan
AU - Jiang, Zhendong
AU - Yan, Wei
AU - Shi, Le
AU - Liu, Xiaoxing
AU - Yuan, Kai
AU - Zhang, Yanhua
AU - Luo, Xiaoyu
AU - Zhang, Liguo
AU - Zhao, Yimiao
AU - Wu, Shuilin
AU - Chen, Bailin
AU - Yuan, Jiaqian
AU - Liu, Zhenyu
AU - Cai, Hanshu
AU - Meng, Shiqiu
AU - Shi, Jie
AU - Li, Xiangyou
AU - Hu, Bin
AU - Deng, Jiahui
AU - Lu, Lin
AU - Bao, Yanping
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2025/7/1
Y1 - 2025/7/1
N2 - Background: Simpler and more feasible light therapy protocols, and objective indicators for assessing its effectiveness is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of light therapy on subthreshold depression (SD) among college students and explore facial expressions as an objective biomarker across different treatment groups. Methods: From September 13, 2021, to January 4, 2022, college students with SD were recruited from a university in Hubei Province, randomly assigned to Bright Light Therapy (BLT) group (10,000 lx), Dim Light Therapy (DLT) group (200 lx), or Waiting List Control (WLC) group (no intervention). Self-reported questionnaire and facial expressions were assessed for all participants before and after intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA and logistic regression were conducted to compare baseline and post-intervention differences among three groups. Results: 135 participants were enrolled and 121 participants completed the study. Depression symptom and sleep quality scores significantly decreased in both BLT and DLT groups (P < 0.001), while no significant changes were observed in WLC group. BLT (OR, 4.50; 95 % CI, 1.11–18.27; P = 0.035) and DLT group (OR, 4.17; 95 % CI, 1.04–16.79; P = 0.045) had higher efficacy rates than WLC group. For facial expressions, DLT group showed significant increases in two happy-related facial action units (AU) including AU14 values (positive, negative and neutral stimuli) and AU26 values (neutral and negative stimuli). BLT group showed a significant decrease in fear-related AU20 values under negative stimuli (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Light therapy improves depressive symptoms and sleep quality in individuals with SD, and facial expressions can serve as an objective biomarker to support its effectiveness.
AB - Background: Simpler and more feasible light therapy protocols, and objective indicators for assessing its effectiveness is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of light therapy on subthreshold depression (SD) among college students and explore facial expressions as an objective biomarker across different treatment groups. Methods: From September 13, 2021, to January 4, 2022, college students with SD were recruited from a university in Hubei Province, randomly assigned to Bright Light Therapy (BLT) group (10,000 lx), Dim Light Therapy (DLT) group (200 lx), or Waiting List Control (WLC) group (no intervention). Self-reported questionnaire and facial expressions were assessed for all participants before and after intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA and logistic regression were conducted to compare baseline and post-intervention differences among three groups. Results: 135 participants were enrolled and 121 participants completed the study. Depression symptom and sleep quality scores significantly decreased in both BLT and DLT groups (P < 0.001), while no significant changes were observed in WLC group. BLT (OR, 4.50; 95 % CI, 1.11–18.27; P = 0.035) and DLT group (OR, 4.17; 95 % CI, 1.04–16.79; P = 0.045) had higher efficacy rates than WLC group. For facial expressions, DLT group showed significant increases in two happy-related facial action units (AU) including AU14 values (positive, negative and neutral stimuli) and AU26 values (neutral and negative stimuli). BLT group showed a significant decrease in fear-related AU20 values under negative stimuli (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Light therapy improves depressive symptoms and sleep quality in individuals with SD, and facial expressions can serve as an objective biomarker to support its effectiveness.
KW - College students
KW - Facial expressions
KW - Light therapy
KW - Subthreshold depression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105000920168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.123
DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.123
M3 - Article
C2 - 40122251
AN - SCOPUS:105000920168
SN - 0165-0327
VL - 380
SP - 357
EP - 365
JO - Journal of Affective Disorders
JF - Journal of Affective Disorders
ER -
