Summary
This thesis investigates how aging and functional physiological changes in the eye affect the brain's sensitivity to non-visual light responses, including pupillary constriction and circadian regulation. Findings have practical implications for lighting design in elder care settings, where age-related ocular changes may require higher or spectrally adjusted light levels to maintain adequate circadian entrainment.
Key Findings
- Aging is associated with reduced non-visual sensitivity to light, likely due to physiological changes in the eye such as lens yellowing and reduced pupil size.
- Non-visual light functions (pupillary constriction, circadian and alerting responses) are compromised with age, suggesting older adults may need brighter or more melanopically enriched light to achieve equivalent biological effects compared to younger individuals.
Categories
The Science of Light: Examines non-visual light responses including pupillary constriction and circadian photoreception across age groups.
Eye Health & Vision: Investigates how age-related physiological changes in the eye affect brain sensitivity to light.
Sleep & Circadian Health: Addresses how aging influences non-visual light functions relevant to circadian entrainment.
Author(s)
V Daneault
Publication Year
2013
Related Publications
The Science of Light
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- Color appearance models
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- Diminished pupillary light reflex at high irradiances in melanopsin-knockout mice
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice
Eye Health & Vision
- Diminished pupillary light reflex at high irradiances in melanopsin-knockout mice
- Genetic reactivation of cone photoreceptors restores visual responses in retinitis pigmentosa
- Melanopsin and rod–cone photoreceptors play different roles in mediating pupillary light responses during exposure to continuous light in humans
- Characteristic patterns of dendritic remodeling in early-stage glaucoma: evidence from genetically identified retinal ganglion cell types
- Intrinsically photosensitive melanopsin retinal ganglion cell contributions to the pupillary light reflex and circadian rhythm
Sleep & Circadian Health
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- The two‐process model of sleep regulation: a reappraisal
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice
- Strange vision: ganglion cells as circadian photoreceptors