TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of daytime electric light exposure on human alertness and higher cognitive functions
T2 - a systematic review
AU - Anwar Siraji, Mushfiqul
AU - Vineetha, Kalavally
AU - Schaefer, Alexandre
AU - Haque, Shamsul
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a research grant provided by ITRAMAS Corporation Sdn. Bhd (Grant Code ENG/ITRAMAS/08-2018/008).
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Siraji, Kalavally, Schaefer and Haque.
PY - 2022/1/5
Y1 - 2022/1/5
N2 - This paper reports the results of a systematic review conducted on articles examining the effects of daytime electric light exposure on alertness and higher cognitive functions. For this, we selected 59 quantitative research articles from 11 online databases. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020157603). The results showed that both short-wavelength dominant light exposure and higher intensity white light exposure induced alertness. However, those influences depended on factors like the participants’ homeostatic sleep drive and the time of day the participants received the light exposure. The relationship between light exposure and higher cognitive functions was not as straightforward as the alerting effect. The optimal light property for higher cognitive functions was reported dependent on other factors, such as task complexity and properties of control light. Among the studies with short-wavelength dominant light exposure, ten studies (morning: 3; afternoon: 7) reported beneficial effects on simple task performances (reaction time), and four studies (morning: 3; afternoon: 1) on complex task performances. Four studies with higher intensity white light exposure (morning: 3; afternoon: 1) reported beneficial effects on simple task performance and nine studies (morning: 5; afternoon: 4) on complex task performance. Short-wavelength dominant light exposure with higher light intensity induced a beneficial effect on alertness and simple task performances. However, those effects did not hold for complex task performances. The results indicate the need for further studies to understand the influence of short-wavelength dominant light exposure with higher illuminance on alertness and higher cognitive functions.
AB - This paper reports the results of a systematic review conducted on articles examining the effects of daytime electric light exposure on alertness and higher cognitive functions. For this, we selected 59 quantitative research articles from 11 online databases. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020157603). The results showed that both short-wavelength dominant light exposure and higher intensity white light exposure induced alertness. However, those influences depended on factors like the participants’ homeostatic sleep drive and the time of day the participants received the light exposure. The relationship between light exposure and higher cognitive functions was not as straightforward as the alerting effect. The optimal light property for higher cognitive functions was reported dependent on other factors, such as task complexity and properties of control light. Among the studies with short-wavelength dominant light exposure, ten studies (morning: 3; afternoon: 7) reported beneficial effects on simple task performances (reaction time), and four studies (morning: 3; afternoon: 1) on complex task performances. Four studies with higher intensity white light exposure (morning: 3; afternoon: 1) reported beneficial effects on simple task performance and nine studies (morning: 5; afternoon: 4) on complex task performance. Short-wavelength dominant light exposure with higher light intensity induced a beneficial effect on alertness and simple task performances. However, those effects did not hold for complex task performances. The results indicate the need for further studies to understand the influence of short-wavelength dominant light exposure with higher illuminance on alertness and higher cognitive functions.
KW - higher cognitive functions
KW - higher intensity white light
KW - reaction time
KW - short-wavelength dominant light
KW - subjective alertness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123165351&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.765750
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.765750
M3 - Review Article
C2 - 35069337
AN - SCOPUS:85123165351
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 765750
ER -