Background: Summer/spring-type seasonal affective disorder (S-SAD) is the less common subtype of seasonal affective disorder and evidence regarding potential triggers of S-SAD is scarce. Recent reports support association of airborne-pollen with seasonal exacerbation of depression (mood seasonality) and timing of suicidal behavior. Therefore, we hypothesized that Old Order Amish (OOA) with summer/spring pattern of seasonality (abbreviated as summer pattern) and S-SAD will have significant mood worsening on high pollen days. Methods: A seasonal pattern of mood worsening and SAD parameters were estimated using Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Age- and gender-adjusted ANCOVAs and post hoc analyses were conducted to compare mood worsening on days with high pollen counts between summer-pattern vs no-summer-pattern of mood worsening, S-SAD vs no-S-SAD, winter-pattern vs no-winter-pattern of mood worsening, and W-SAD vs no-W-SAD groups. Results: The prevalence of S-SAD was 0.4%, while 4.5% of individuals had a summer pattern of mood seasonality. A statistically significant difference for mood worsening on high pollen days was observed between summer-pattern vs no-summer-pattern of mood worsening (p = 0.006). The significant association between S-SAD vs no-SAD groups (p = 0.032) for mood worsening on high pollen days did not withstand Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons. No significant association was found for winter-pattern vs no-winter-pattern of mood worsening (p = 0.61) and for W-SAD vs no-W-SAD (p = 0.19) groups. Conclusion: Our results are consistent with previous studies implicating links between aeroallergen exposure and summer pattern of seasonality, but not the winter pattern of seasonality.

中文翻译：

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在花粉量高的日子里情绪恶化与夏季的季节性模式有关

背景：夏季/春季型季节性情感障碍 (S-SAD) 是季节性情感障碍的不太常见的亚型，关于 S-SAD 潜在触发因素的证据很少。最近的报告支持空气传播的花粉与抑郁症的季节性恶化（情绪季节性）和自杀行为的时机有关。因此，我们假设具有夏季/春季季节性模式（简称夏季模式）和 S-SAD 的旧秩序阿米什人 (OOA) 在高花粉日会出现明显的情绪恶化。方法：使用季节性模式评估问卷 (SPAQ) 估计情绪恶化的季节性模式和 SAD 参数。进行了年龄和性别调整的 ANCOVA 和事后分析，以比较夏季模式与非夏季模式情绪恶化之间花粉计数高的日子的情绪恶化，S-SAD 与无 S-SAD、冬季模式与无冬季模式的情绪恶化，以及 W-SAD 与无 W-SAD 组。结果：S-SAD 的患病率为 0.4%，而 4.5% 的个体具有夏季情绪季节性模式。在夏季模式与非夏季模式的情绪恶化之间，观察到高花粉日情绪恶化的统计学显着差异（p= 0.006)。S-SAD 与无 SAD 组之间的显着关联（p= 0.032) 高花粉日情绪恶化无法承受 Bonferroni 调整的多重比较。没有发现冬季模式与无冬季模式的情绪恶化之间存在显着关联（p= 0.61) 和 W-SAD 与无 W-SAD (p= 0.19) 组。结论：我们的结果与先前的研究一致，这些研究表明空气过敏原暴露与夏季季节性模式之间存在联系，但与冬季季节性模式无关。