Seaonal Affective Disorder in Iceland
PH.D. PROJECT
About the project
Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that is related to changes in seasons, mostly presenting itself in winter months, with full remission during summer months. Family history, cognitive vulnerabilities, such as automatic thoughts, rumination, dysfunctional attitudes and maladaptive seasonal attitudes, electroencephalographic asymmetries as well as young age and evening chronotype have been suggested as risk factors for seasonal affective disorder. However, the interaction of these risk factors is poorly understood. Therefore, one aim of this PhD project is to build a prediction model of seasonal affective disorder based on the risk factors.
Moreover, the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder increases at Northern latitudes. Defying this trend however, the prevalence of this condition was reported to be relatively low in Iceland according to a study conducted in the early 90s. An additional aim of this project is to determine the current prevalence of seasonal fluctuations of mood and seasonal affective disorder in Iceland.
The data for this PhD project is obtained from an ongoing, longitudinal research study called EPiC SAD. In this study behavioural data and brain activity by means of the electroencephalogram is recorded in individuals with a clinical diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder and a matched control group.
Doctoral Candidate
Lada Zelinski, University of Akureyri – PhD candidate
Doctoral committee and Researchers
- Yvonne Höller - Professor at the Faculty of Psychology - University of Akureyri
- Ragnar Pétur Ólafsson - Professor at the Faculty of Psychology - University of Iceland
- Gísli Kort Kristófersson - Associate Professor at the Faculty of Psychology - University of Akureyri
- Arne Bathke – Professor at the Faculty of Digital and Analytical Sciences - Paris Lodron University Salzburg
Press
Akureyri.net (2022). Rannsókn á skammdegisþunglyndi.
The University of Akureyri (2022). Are you young, a little lazy and eat a lot of carbs? – Caution, you could get depressed!
