Psychology
The Relationship between Color Vision and Sleep
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Psychology
Start Date
11-4-2014 12:00 PM
End Date
11-4-2014 12:59 PM
Sponsor
Neil Schmitzer-Torbert (Wabash College)
Description
We are testing our hypothesis that reduced blue light transmission in the retina causes circadian rhythm disturbances among the elderly with blue-yellow color blindness (tritanopia). Circadian rhythms are regulated by melanopsin, a molecule in the eye that captures blue light. Yellow lenses filter out the amount of blue light reaching the retina, and a study by Pokorny et al., (1987) has shown that our lenses yellow as we age, therefore there may be a higher incidence of yellow lens in the elderly (Pokorny, Smith & Lutze, 1987). This has been shown to cause sleep disturbances (Kessel, Siganos, Jørgensen & Larsen, 2011). We want to know if tritanopia (blue-yellow colorblindness) might further disrupt circadian rhythms, beyond that due to lens yellowing. The reduced stimulation of blue light to the ipRGC's has also been shown in species of fish, Aequidens pulcher, Labeotropheus fuelleborni (Pauers et al., 2012), humans and macaque monkeys' retina (anatomically not behaviorally) (Dacey et al., 2005) to disrupt circadian rhythms. Tritanopia is caused by malfunctioning blue cones and evidence shows that in addition to melanopsin, the cone system also regulates circadian rhythms (Pauers et al., 2012; Dacey et al., 2005). Participants will be tested for tritanopia using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test. If the participant is believed to be tritanopic a saliva sample will be taken for DNA verification of tritanopia. Lens yellowing will be estimated by determining blue-yellow heterochromatic flicker luminance ratios in the fovea and 15° in the periphery. Data collection is underway.
The Relationship between Color Vision and Sleep
Indianapolis, IN
We are testing our hypothesis that reduced blue light transmission in the retina causes circadian rhythm disturbances among the elderly with blue-yellow color blindness (tritanopia). Circadian rhythms are regulated by melanopsin, a molecule in the eye that captures blue light. Yellow lenses filter out the amount of blue light reaching the retina, and a study by Pokorny et al., (1987) has shown that our lenses yellow as we age, therefore there may be a higher incidence of yellow lens in the elderly (Pokorny, Smith & Lutze, 1987). This has been shown to cause sleep disturbances (Kessel, Siganos, Jørgensen & Larsen, 2011). We want to know if tritanopia (blue-yellow colorblindness) might further disrupt circadian rhythms, beyond that due to lens yellowing. The reduced stimulation of blue light to the ipRGC's has also been shown in species of fish, Aequidens pulcher, Labeotropheus fuelleborni (Pauers et al., 2012), humans and macaque monkeys' retina (anatomically not behaviorally) (Dacey et al., 2005) to disrupt circadian rhythms. Tritanopia is caused by malfunctioning blue cones and evidence shows that in addition to melanopsin, the cone system also regulates circadian rhythms (Pauers et al., 2012; Dacey et al., 2005). Participants will be tested for tritanopia using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test. If the participant is believed to be tritanopic a saliva sample will be taken for DNA verification of tritanopia. Lens yellowing will be estimated by determining blue-yellow heterochromatic flicker luminance ratios in the fovea and 15° in the periphery. Data collection is underway.