Direct sunlight exposure reduces hair cortisol levels in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

• Main Authors: Xiao-Li Feng, He-Long Che, Xi Ning, Xue-Ying Ba, Juan-Li, Jing-Fang Zhang, Yun Wang, Zheng-Fei Hu, Xin-Tian Hu, Xiao-Feng Ren
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Science Press, PR China 2019-11-01
• Series: Zoological Research
• Subjects: sunlight exposure; rhesus monkeys; hpa axis; hair cortisol; seasonal affective disorder (sad)
• Online Access: http://www.zoores.ac.cn/article/2019/2095-8137/2095-8137-2019-40-6-1.shtml
• ISSN: 2095-8137; 2095-8137

Major depressive disorder (MDD), commonly known as depression, is a mental disease characterized by a core symptom of low mood. It lasts at least two weeks (Badamasi et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2019) and is frequently accompanied by low self-esteem, loss of interest in routinely enjoyable activities, low energy, and unexplained pain (Huey et al., 2018; Park et al., 2012; Post & Warden, 2018; Rice et al., 2019; Xiao et al., 2018). Approximately 2%–8% of adults with MDD commit suicide (Richards & O'Hara, 2014; Strakowski & Nelson, 2015), and around half of suicidal individuals suffer depression or other mood disorders (Bachmann, 2018).