The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Bright light therapy and depression: assessing suitability using entrainment maps
Author:	Mainwaring, Charles A.
View Online:	njit-etd2023-008 (x, 44 pages ~ 5.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Mathematical Sciences
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Applied Mathematics
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Bose, Amitabha Koshal (Committee co-chair) Diekman, Casey (Committee co-chair) Rotstein, Horacio G. (Committee member)
Date:	2023-05
Keywords:	Bright light therapy Circadian rhythms Entrainment maps Mood disorders Major depressive disorder Melatonin
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Bright Light Therapy has been shown to be efficacious to mood disorders including Major Depression. Researchers use the Jewett-Forger-Kronauer model of the circadian rhythm with the Unified Model of melatonin including a mathematical term implementing feedback from the melatonin system into the circadian system to quantify the effects of bright light. Early investigations into intrinsic period, light sensitivity, and the circadian pacemaker's sensitivity to blood melatonin concentration may be indicators of subsets of patients with long intrinsic periods exhibiting symptoms of depression.