Abstract

Bright light therapy is a treatment that emerged in the eighties of the last century. It can be used in different pathologies such as seasonal affective disorders, major depressions, and many disorders of the wake-sleep rhythm, whether they are of primary or secondary origin. Important progress made at the basic neuroscience levels, allows today a sound understanding of the bright light mode of action. Moreover, the main indications are now the subject of consensus reports and meta-analyses which show good levels of evidence-based medicine. Bright light therapy constitutes a first choice indication in seasonal affective disorder. It is also perfectly possible to prescribe bright light therapy in the major depression disorders. It has been demonstrated that the effect size is the same as with antidepressants of reference. It is admitted nowadays that bright light therapy may be at least, an adjunct to pharmacotherapy, in order to accelerate the antidepressant effect onset, or to prolong this effect after withdrawal of the drug. Bright light therapy can also be viewed as an alternative to the pharmacological approach especially when this one is impossible, not tolerated or not accepted by the patient. The contraindications are rare.