Pranauv Dev Muneeswaran

A review of blue light and its structural and functional effects on childrens’ brains and development.

Started Apr. 18, 2023

Abstract or project description

Light is essential to all life and is pivotal in humans' visual perception abilities; without it, we simply would not be able to function biologically. Blue light, a higher-energy light with a shorter wavelength, makes up almost one-third of all visible light and is particularly known for its positive effects on cognitive function, mood regulation, and the body’s circadian rhythms. Recently, blue light has also been recognized as detrimental to the body’s health and there has been increased concern about the long-term effects of exposure to blue light. These effects may include a loss of hormone secretion, retinal damage, disturbances in the body’s circadian rhythms and more. This paper will address the advantages and disadvantages of blue light and certain physiological and psychological effects of blue light on the brain. This review will focus predominantly on children and their neural development. What structural effects does blue light have on their early neural development? Do these structural effects also translate to functional effects? What long term impacts does this exposure have on children? The objective of this paper is to recognize these effects and possibly find a correlation between such exposure and development of certain health issues later in the childrens’ life. Utilizing evidence from multiple studies and data, this paper will provide an objective analysis that expands on current findings and provides insight on the lesser known effects of blue light and preventative measures.