[en] Light, particularly blue-wavelength light exerts a broad range of non-image forming (NIF) effects including the stimulation of cognition and alertness and the regulation of mood, sleep and circadian rhythms. However, its underlying brain mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Likewise, whether adolescents show a different NIF sensitivity to light compared to adults is not established. Here, we investigated whether cortical excitability, a basic aspect of brain function that depends on sleep-wake regulation, is affected by blue light and whether the effect is similar in young adults and adolescents. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled to high-density electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) in healthy young adults (N = 13, 24.2 ± 3.4 y) and in adolescents (N = 15, 16.9 ± 1.1 y). Our results showed that, in young adults, blue light affected cortical excitability following an apparent inverted-U relationship, while adolescents' cortical excitability was not significantly different under blue light compared to orange light. In addition, although light did not affect performance on a visuomotor vigilance task completed during the TMS-EEG recordings, cortical excitability was positively correlated to task performance in both age groups. This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between light, cortical excitability, and behavior. Our findings highlight the role of age in NIF effects of light, suggesting that brain responses to light differ during developmental periods.
Research Center/Unit :
GIGA-CRC-Human Imaging GIGA-In Vivo Imaging
Disciplines :
Neurology
Author, co-author :
Sharifpour, Roya ; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Balda Aizpurua, Fermin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Sleep and chronobiology
Paparella, Ilenia; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Read, John ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Sleep and chronobiology
Leysens, Zoé; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Letot, Sara; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Campbell, Islay; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
Beckers, Elise; GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium ; Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Collette, Fabienne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Aging & Memory
Phillips, Christophe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Development in data acquisition & modeling
Zubkov, Mikhail ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Sleep and chronobiology
Vandewalle, Gilles ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Sleep and chronobiology
Language :
English
Title :
Cortical excitability is affected by light exposure - Distinct effects in adolescents and young adults.
Alzheimer Research Foundation Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions EC - European Commission ERDF - European Regional Development Fund FWB - Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles F.R.S.-FNRS - Fund for Scientific Research UM - Universiteit Maastricht Fonds Léon Fredericq
Funding text :
The study was supported by the Belgian Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS; CDR J.0222.20 & J.0216.24), the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie grant agreement No 860613 , the Fondation L\u00E9on Fr\u00E9d\u00E9ricq, ULi\u00E8ge , and the European Regional Development Fund (Biomed-Hub, WALBIOIMAGING). None of these funding sources had any impact on the design of the study or the interpretation of the findings. RS and FB were supported by the European Union#8217; s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie grant agreement No 860613. RS was supported by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation . EB was supported by Maastricht University - ULi\u00E8ge Imaging Valley. MZ is supported by the Foundation Recherche Alzheimer (SAO-FRA 2022/0014). IC, IP, FB, JR, FC, CP and GV are/were supported by the FRS-FNRS.
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