title: Exposure to blue wavelength light modulates anterior cingulate cortex activation in response to 'uncertain' versus 'certain' anticipation of positive stimuli.
abstract: Blue wavelength light has been used as an effective treatment for some types of mood disorders and circadian rhythm related sleep problems. We hypothesized that acute exposure to blue wavelength light would directly affect the functioning of neurocircuity implicated in emotion regulation (i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex [ACC]) during 'certain' and 'uncertain' anticipation of negative and positive stimuli. Thirty-five healthy adults were randomized to receive a thirty-minute exposure to either blue (active) or amber (placebo) light, immediately followed by an emotional anticipation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In contrast to placebo, participants in the blue light group showed significantly reduced activation within the rostral ACC during 'uncertain' anticipation (i.e., uncertainty regarding whether a positive or negative stimulus would be shown) in comparison to 'certain' anticipation of a positive stimulus. These findings may be explicable in terms of interactions between blue light exposure and the influence of specific neuromodulators on ACC-mediated decision-making mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, Department of Psychiatry, United States.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alkozei
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, Department of Psychiatry, United States.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, Department of Psychiatry, United States; McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States. Electronic address: killgore@psychiatry.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: William D S
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Killgore
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012201:Reward; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anterior cingulate cortex; Blue light; Emotional anticipation; fMRI