To determine whether seasonal affective disorder exists in the southern
hemisphere and whether there is any seasonal specificity in phenomenology,
the authors compared 23 subjects who reported a winter/autumn affective
disorder, consistent with earlier definitions of the syndrome, with 22
subjects who reported a spring/summer affective disorder. The subjects with
winter/autumn onset were characterized by increased appetite, carbohydrate
craving, and increased sleep; those with spring/summer onset reported
decreased sleep and decreased appetite. Hypotheses concerning the etiology
of seasonal affective disorder are discussed.
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