TY - JOUR
T1 - Blue light exposure enhances neural efficiency of the task positive network during a cognitive interference task
AU - Killgore, William D.S.
AU - Dailey, Natalie S.
AU - Raikes, Adam C.
AU - Vanuk, John R.
AU - Taylor, Emily
AU - Alkozei, Anna
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a USAMRAA grant ( W81XWH-14-1-0571 ).
PY - 2020/9/14
Y1 - 2020/9/14
N2 - Exposure to light, particularly blue-wavelength light, has been shown to acutely increase brain activation, alertness, and some elementary aspects of cognitive performance such as working memory and emotional anticipation. Whether blue light exposure can have effects on brain activation and performance during more complex cognitive control tasks up to 30 min after light cessation is unknown. In a sample of 32 healthy adults, we examined the effects of a 30 min exposure to either blue (n = 16) or amber control (n = 16) light on subsequent brain activation and performance during the Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT) measured a half-hour after light exposure. Performance on the MSIT did not differ between the blue and amber conditions. However, brain activation within the task positive network (TPN) to the interference condition was significantly lower in the blue relative to the amber condition, while no group differences were observed for suppression of the default mode network (DMN). These findings suggest that, compared to control, a single exposure to blue light was associated with enhanced neural efficiency, as demonstrated by reduced TPN activation to achieve the same level of performance. Blue light may be an effective method for optimizing neurocognitive performance under some conditions.
AB - Exposure to light, particularly blue-wavelength light, has been shown to acutely increase brain activation, alertness, and some elementary aspects of cognitive performance such as working memory and emotional anticipation. Whether blue light exposure can have effects on brain activation and performance during more complex cognitive control tasks up to 30 min after light cessation is unknown. In a sample of 32 healthy adults, we examined the effects of a 30 min exposure to either blue (n = 16) or amber control (n = 16) light on subsequent brain activation and performance during the Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT) measured a half-hour after light exposure. Performance on the MSIT did not differ between the blue and amber conditions. However, brain activation within the task positive network (TPN) to the interference condition was significantly lower in the blue relative to the amber condition, while no group differences were observed for suppression of the default mode network (DMN). These findings suggest that, compared to control, a single exposure to blue light was associated with enhanced neural efficiency, as demonstrated by reduced TPN activation to achieve the same level of performance. Blue light may be an effective method for optimizing neurocognitive performance under some conditions.
KW - Blue light exposure
KW - Default mode network
KW - MSIT
KW - Multi-Source Interference Task
KW - Neural efficiency
KW - Neuroimaging
KW - Task positive network
KW - fMRI
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U2 - 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135242
DO - 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135242
M3 - Article
C2 - 32652208
AN - SCOPUS:85087844971
VL - 735
JO - Neuroscience Letters
JF - Neuroscience Letters
SN - 0304-3940
M1 - 135242
ER -