| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 885595 | Journal of Environmental Psychology | 2014 | 9 Pages |
•We compared the effects of blue versus traditional light sources on cognition.•We compared the effects of new light sources on executive functions and visuo-spatial abilities.•Blue light improves the performance in mental rotation of 3-D objects.•Blue light makes multiple task representations remaining active, without increasing interference.
Recent studies investigated the non-visual effects of light on cognitive processes and mood regulation and showed that light exposure has positive effects on circadian rhythms and alertness, vigilance and mood states and also increases work productivity. However, the effects of light exposure on visuo-spatial abilities and executive functions have only been partially explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of new LED light sources on healthy participants' performance on some components of visuo-spatial abilities and executive functions in a specifically-designed and fully-controlled luminous environment. Participants had to mentally rotate 3-D objects and perform a switching task in which inhibitory processes and switch cost were measured. Results suggest that cooler light exposure improves the cognitive system's capacity to deal with multiple task representations, which might remain active simultaneously without interfering with each other, and visuo-spatial ability, producing fewer errors in the mental rotation of 3-D objects.
