Mood Worsening On Hot Days And High Pollen Days In The Old Order Amish With Summer Type Sad

Summer type Seasonal Affective Disorder (S-SAD) is the less common subtype of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Although winter SAD is reportedly triggered by shortened day-length and reduced sunlight exposure, evidence regarding triggers of S-SAD is scarce. Previous studies have implicated seasonal changes in heat. Yet another factor present in spring/summer is airborne pollen, reported to be associated with seasonal exacerbation of depression and timing of suicidal behavior. This study explores the relationship of mood worsening with pollen in Old Order Amish (OOA) with S-SAD. OOA have increased exposure to the macro-climate in the summer by not using air conditioning. We hypothesized that those with S-SAD will have significantly higher mood worsening on high pollen days relative to those without S-SAD.