ABSTRACT
Two patients with a chronic residual schizophrenic disorder, according to DSM-III-R, showed a marked resistance to intensive light, manifested through a lack of intolerance and pain when looking at the Sun directly. Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans, and the melatonin rhythm reflects the subject's light/darkness exposition. A photomaniac character of such a behavior (or phenomena that could favor it) recalls its opposite--the photophobic behavior as described in some cases of depression, and could cause a different profile of exposition to the light. Knowing about such phenomena--such though they lack every explanation for the time being--could be useful--from a methodology point of view, as well as heuristically valuable--during the study of photosensitive neuroendocrine processes in patients who evidence such phenomena.
Subject(s)
Light , Schizophrenic Psychology , Humans , Male , Melatonin/metabolism , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Two patients with a chronic residual schizophrenic disorder, according to DSM-III-R, showed a marked resistance to intensive light, manifested through a lack of intolerance and pain when looking at the Sun directly. Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans, and the melatonin rhythm reflects the subjects light/darkness exposition. A photomaniac character of such a behavior (or phenomena that could favor it) recalls its opposite--the photophobic behavior as described in some cases of depression, and could cause a different profile of exposition to the light. Knowing about such phenomena--such though they lack every explanation for the time being--could be useful--from a methodology point of view, as well as heuristically valuable--during the study of photosensitive neuroendocrine processes in patients who evidence such phenomena.
