Daily Exposure to Blue Light May Accelerate Aging

Research from Oregon State University (OSU) published in Nature: Aging and Mechanisms of Disease suggests longer exposure to blue light accelerates aging, because the blue wavelengths generated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) damage neurons in addition to retinas, reports Technology Networks' Cell Science . The team examined the response of flies to 12-hour daily exposures to blue LED light. Flies subjected to daily cycles of 12 hours in light and 12 hours in darkness had shorter lives versus those kept in total darkness or those kept in light with blue wavelengths filtered out. The insects exposed to blue light had retinal cell and brain neuron damage, in addition to impaired locomotion. Even eyeless mutant flies exhibited brain damage and locomotion impairment. "There is evidence suggesting that increased exposure to artificial light is a risk factor for sleep and circadian disorders," said OSU's Jaga Giebultowicz. "And with the prevalent use of LED lighting and device displays, humans are subjected to increasing amounts of light in the blue spectrum since commonly used LEDs emit a high fraction of blue light."