Abstract
Acute exposure to light within the blue wavelengths has been shown to enhance alertness and vigilance, and lead to improved speed on reaction time tasks, possibly due to activation of the noradrenergic system. It remains unclear, however, whether the effects of blue light extend beyond simple alertness processes to also enhance other aspects of cognition, such as memory performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a thirty minute pulse of blue light versus placebo (amber light) exposure in healthy normally rested individuals in the morning during verbal memory consolidation (i.e., 1.5 hours after memory acquisition) using an abbreviated version of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II). At delayed recall, individuals who received blue light (n = 12) during the consolidation period showed significantly better long-delay verbal recall than individuals who received amber light exposure (n = 18), while controlling for the effects of general intelligence, depressive symptoms and habitual wake time. These findings extend previous work demonstrating the effect of blue light on brain activation and alertness to further demonstrate its effectiveness at facilitating better memory consolidation and subsequent retention of verbal material. Although preliminary, these findings point to a potential application of blue wavelength light to optimize memory performance in healthy populations. It remains to be determined whether blue light exposure may also enhance performance in clinical populations with memory deficits.
Highlights
Short-wavelength light exposure (~480nm, blue light) plays multiple important roles in biopsychological functioning
When light strikes the retina, the blue wavelengths stimulate intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which respond by transmitting irradiance
It has been proposed that blue light may activate the locus coeruleus (LC) through projections from the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and that such stimulation of the LC may lead to increased norephineprhine release throughout the brain which in turn increases alertness [4]
Summary
Short-wavelength light exposure (~480nm, blue light) plays multiple important roles in biopsychological functioning. In addition to its role in conscious visual perception through the lateral geniculate nucleus and projection to primary and secondary visual cortex, light exposure can influence the timing of circadian rhythms, the magnitude of alertness, and quality and duration of sleep through a secondary non-image forming light response system [1, 2]. Stimulation of the LC has been shown to promote greater release of norepinephrine throughout the cerebral cortex [5], which in turn influences a variety of brain functions including alertness [6]. It has been proposed that blue light may activate the LC through projections from the SCN, and that such stimulation of the LC may lead to increased norephineprhine release throughout the brain which in turn increases alertness [4]
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