A study has found that the exposure to the wavelength of blue light leads to increases in brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.
The results also show that a brief spot exposure to blue light for half an hour is sufficient to produce measurable changes in reaction times and responses more efficiently in situations of high cognitive load after exposure to normal (white) light. Moreover, these improvements are associated directly with measurable changes in the activation of the prefrontal cortex.
“Previous studies only focused on the effects of light during the exposure period. Our study adds to this research, showing that these beneficial effects of the wavelength of blue light can last up to 40 minutes after the exposure period “says the lead author Anna Alkozei, a postdoctoral student in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona (USA).
“Importantly, our results suggest that the use of blue light before having to carry out important cognitive processes can affect cognitive functioning until half an hour after the end of the exposure period. This can be useful in a wide range of situations where acute exposure to blue light is not a viable option” she added.
The summary of this research was recently published in a supplement of the journal Sleep and was presented on Sunday, June 12, 2016 and Wednesday, June 15, 2016 in Denver, the meeting of the 30th Anniversary of professional associate societies (APAS).
“These findings are important, linking the acute behavioral effects caused by blue light with a higher activation of key cortical systems involved in cognition and mind control,” stated for his part William DS Killgore, the author and principal investigator.
The study was conducted with 35 healthy adults aged between 18 and 32 years. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a 30-minute exposure to either of these lights: blue (active) or amber (placebo); and immediately they were entrusted with the task of memory activities while they were undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that determined the activity of their brains.
