昼夜节律和神经递质因素均可能与 SAD 的病理生理学机制有关,但确切的作用机制尚不清楚。[23]Westrin A, Lam RW. Seasonal affective disorder: a clinical update. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2007 Oct-Dec;19(4):239-46.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18058281?tool=bestpractice.com[24]Germain A, Kupfer DJ. Circadian rhythm disturbances in depression. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2008 Oct;23(7):571-85.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2612129/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18680211?tool=bestpractice.com 越来越多的人认为下丘脑视交叉上核 (SCN) 是季节性情感调节中所涉及的几大系统的“主调节器”。目前正在利用动物模型研究环境变化、压力、饮食和遗传表达对 SCN 环路的影响,以便更好地了解 SAD 的病理生理学机制。[25]McClung CA. Circadian rhythms and mood regulation: insights from pre-clinical models. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2011 Sep;21(suppl 4):S683-93.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179573/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21835596?tool=bestpractice.com 秋冬季光线减弱可能造成各种生理节律的时相移动,包括睡眠-觉醒周期、体温、激素水平和褪黑激素分泌。[26]Teicher MH, Glod CA, Magnus E, et al. Circadian rest-activity disturbances in seasonal affective disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997 Feb;54(2):124-30.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9040280?tool=bestpractice.com[27]Winkler D, Pjrek E, Praschak-Rieder N, et al. Actigraphy in patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects treated with light therapy. Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Aug 15;58(4):331-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16102546?tool=bestpractice.com[28]Pandi-Perumal SR, Moscovitch A, Srinivasan V, et al. Bidirectional communication between sleep and circadian rhythms and its implications for depression: lessons from agomelatine. Prog Neurobiol. 2009 Aug;88(4):264-71.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19454302?tool=bestpractice.com 季节性变化期间的褪黑激素分泌节律异常可能与 SAD 尤其相关。[29]Pandi-Perumal SR, Srinivasan V, Maestroni GJ, et al. Melatonin: nature's most versatile biological signal? FEBS J. 2006 Jul;273(13):2813-38.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16817850?tool=bestpractice.com 5-羟色胺能活性降低也常见于 SAD 患者。[30]Schwartz PJ, Turner EH, Garcia-Borreguero D, et al. Serotonin hypothesis of winter depression: behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of the 5HT(1A) receptor partial agonist ipsapirone in patients with seasonal affective disorder and healthy control subjects. Psychiatry Res. 1999 Apr 19;86(1):9-28.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10359479?tool=bestpractice.com[31]Willeit M, Praschak-Rieder N, Neumeister A, et al. [123I]-B-CIT SPECT imaging shows reduced brain serotonin transporter availability in drug-free depressed patients with seasonal affective disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2000 Mar 15;47(6):482-9.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10715354?tool=bestpractice.com 近期研究推测,5-羟色胺能系统与昼夜节律系统共享的神经解剖通路和遗传特征为 SAD 风险的基础。[32]Ciarleglio CM, Resuehr HE, McMahon DG. Interactions of the serotonin and circadian systems: nature and nurture in rhythms and blues. Neuroscience. 2011 Dec 1;197:8-16.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21963350?tool=bestpractice.com 研究表明,SAD 患者冬季早晨的皮质醇分泌水平低于非抑郁对照组。 两组在夏季的皮质醇分泌水平相似。[33]Thorn L, Evans P, Cannon A. Seasonal differences in the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion in healthy participants and those with self-assessed seasonal affective disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011 Jul;36(6):816-23.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21145663?tool=bestpractice.com 昼夜节律基因功能的遗传缺陷可能是 SAD 和酒精滥用存在关联的部分原因。[34]Falcon E, McClung CA. A role for the circadian genes in drug addiction. Neuropharmacology. 2009;56(suppl 1):91-6.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2635341/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18644396?tool=bestpractice.com 相对于非抑郁对照组,SAD 患者视网膜敏感度在冬季可能会降低。 具体而言,视网膜感光色素黑视蛋白的遗传变异可能是 SAD 风险增加的潜在生物标志物。[35]Roecklein KA, Wong PM, Miller MA, et al. Melanopsin, photosensitive ganglion cells, and seasonal affective disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013 Mar;37(3):229-39.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3604141/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23286902?tool=bestpractice.com