Prior light history impacts on higher order cognitive brain function
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1
University of Liège, Cyclotron Research Center, Belgium
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2
INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Department of Chronobiology, France
Light powerfully modulates human alertness and cognition, presumably through intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) expressing the photopigment melanopsin. In humans, evidence for melanopsin involvement in light-driven cognitive stimulation remains indirect, due to the difficulty to selectively isolate its contribution. Therefore, a role for melanopsin in human cognitive function remains to be established. Recent data suggest that melanopsin has dual-state properties, such that its light sensitivity is modulated by prior light exposure. Accordingly, prior exposure to 590nm, 515nm and 480nm monochromatic light would lead to higher, medium or lower subsequent melanopsin sensitivity, respectively. Here we tested whether light history modulates the subsequent impact of light on cognitive brain function, and if this modulation is compatible with melanopsin dual-state properties. Sixteen participants underwent 3 identical and consecutive fMRI sessions during which they were exposed to a monochromatic green test-light (515nm), while performing a simple auditory detection task (0-back task) and a more difficult auditory working memory task (3-back task). Seventy minutes before each session, participants were exposed to 10min of orange (589nm), green (515nm) or blue (461nm) monochromatic light. Prior exposure to orange, as compared to blue light, increased executive responses bilaterally in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and in the pulvinar. Furthermore, prior exposure to green, as compared to blue light, increased executive responses in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. Remaining comparisons (orange>green; green>orange; blue>orange; blue>green) had no significant prefrontal responses. This wavelength-dependent impact of prior light exposure is consistent with recent theories of light-driven melanopsin dual states. Our results emphasize the key role of light for cognitive brain responses and are, to date, the strongest evidence in favor of a cognitive role for melanopsin. Ultimately, this photopigment may confer a form of “photic memory” to human cognitive brain function.
Acknowledgements
FNRS (Belgium), FMRE, University of Liège (ULg), Financial support: FNRS (Belgium), FMRE, University of Liège (ULg), Agence National de Recherche, France.
Keywords:
Melanopsin,
Cognition,
Light,
fMRI,
non-image-forming,
Executive Function
Conference:
Belgian Brain Council 2014
MODULATING THE BRAIN: FACTS, FICTION, FUTURE, Ghent, Belgium, 4 Oct - 4 Oct, 2014.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Basic Neuroscience
Citation:
Chellappa
SL,
Ly
JQ,
Meyer
C,
Balteau
E,
Delgueldre
C,
Luxen
A,
Phillips
C,
Cooper
H and
Vandewalle
G
(2014). Prior light history impacts on higher order cognitive brain function.
Conference Abstract:
Belgian Brain Council 2014
MODULATING THE BRAIN: FACTS, FICTION, FUTURE.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2014.214.00039
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Received:
30 Jun 2014;
Published Online:
30 Jun 2014.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Gilles Vandewalle, University of Liège, Cyclotron Research Center, Liège, 4000, Belgium, gilles.vandewalle@uliege.be