SAD treatment, via the ears...

[Arch]

A colleague of mine, who suffers a little from SAD, met someone on the train the other day, wearing a Valkee:

http://www.valkee.com/uk/

Apparently, brain tissue is photosensitive, and this thing channels light in through the thinnest part of the skull. Only needs to be worn for minutes a day, instead of sitting in front of a lightbox for hours.

I don't suffer it myself, but it's interesting if it's true. Mainly the fact that brain tissue is photosensitive. What's the evolutionary advantage of photosensitivity in an internal organ!

My colleague did wonder if anyone's checked whether brain tissue could degrade in the light!

[hellymedic]

Methinks it's snake oil.
Do you feel life's brighter when someone shines a light in your ear?
How about when the sun beams into your abode or when you're out on a bike?

[sas]

I was intrigued (and bored) enough to look at their website. Their core evidence seems to be a conference poster presenting a "randomised controlled trial" in which people became less depressed after 4 weeks of having a light shone in their ear for 12 min/day. There's just one tiny flaw in their trial... they omitted to include a control group... which means it's all complete utter bollocks.

[Jaded]

Certainly another good reason for having exceptionally bright bike lights.

[anotherdeadhero]

Hmm. I wonder if there is any way I can hook up the light shining out of my arse, and direct it into my ears.

Maybe some system of mirrors? Or fibre optic?

[hellymedic]

How about a fibreoptic link to my halo?
An Angel