Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness
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The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2018
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1524088785098075 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu15240887850980752021-08-03T07:06:16Z Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness Doyle, Colleen Elizabeth Ophthalmology Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) play a key role in signaling irradiance information to the brain. This information is used to regulate circadian rhythms, pupil size and sleep/wakefulness. Prior studies have focused on the effect of extended blue light exposures on alertness levels. As we have found that an alternating red/blue flashing light is a potent stimulant for ipRGCs, we investigated whether this stimulus, applied over a short 2-minute duration, can increase alertness by measuring reaction times before and after the exposure.Eight subjects (age 23-43; 75% female) were recruited to participate in two experimental sessions involving different stimuli. Three days prior to the first session, all subjects arrived to receive an Actiwatch which measures light exposure, activity levels, and sleep amount. These watches were worn throughout the end of the second session. Subjects arrived by 7:00 AM prior to sunrise for session one. An initial test of reaction time (RT) was measured using a computerized psychomotor vigilance test (PC-PVT) in order for subjects to become familiar with the instrument and task. The subjects were dark adapted for 45 minutes and the RT re-measured for a baseline value. Subjects were exposed to a 2-minute duration light stimulus (1013 photon/sec/cm2; continuous blue light in one session and 0.1 Hz alternating red/blue light in the other) and RT again measured immediately after the exposure. Two successive 15-minute dark adaptations were performed with RT measured after each. To assess ipRGC stimulation, pupil size was monitored and recorded during each light exposure.Reaction time was normalized to that obtained after the 45 minute dark adaptation. There was no significant difference between the four measured RTs obtained in the continuous blue-only session (p=0.9, One-way RM ANOVA). For the alternating light session, RT was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased (by 8.0% ± 2.4 SEM) immediately after light exposure and after the first 15-minute recovery period (by 5.4% ± 2.5). There was no significant difference in mean pupil size (p=0.69, paired t-test) recorded during the two light stimulation periods.In conclusion, this research shows that a 2-minute duration exposure to an alternating, flashing red/blue light stimulus can significantly decrease reaction time. Our results suggest this short alternating red/blue light stimulus may be more effective than a short continuous blue light stimulus for increasing alertness. 2018-08-27 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1524088785098075 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1524088785098075 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Ophthalmology |
| spellingShingle |
Ophthalmology Doyle, Colleen Elizabeth Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| author |
Doyle, Colleen Elizabeth |
| author_facet |
Doyle, Colleen Elizabeth |
| author_sort |
Doyle, Colleen Elizabeth |
| title |
Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| title_short |
Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| title_full |
Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| title_fullStr |
Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Effect of Short-Term Light Exposure on Alertness |
| title_sort |
effect of short-term light exposure on alertness |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2018 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1524088785098075 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT doylecolleenelizabeth effectofshorttermlightexposureonalertness |
| _version_ |
1719453723268218880 |