Study: Light Enhances Brain Activity During Cognitive Task Even In Blind People

After spending the last few weeks learning all about the wonders of neurophysiology, I found this article quite intriguing (and a little spooky, which seems particularly appropriate for tonight). We have learned that our bodies work differently based upon the time of day, following biorhythms, in order to optimize performance. A major factor in determining the time of day is the light we perceive, brightness corresponding to day, darkness to night. Following this logic, light is thought to contribute to cognition, helping us to think better when we are awake than when we are asleep. While this is all well and good for those of us blessed with the gift of sight, scientists set out to study the impact of light on the blind. Surprisingly, they found that 3 completely blind individuals seemed to be able to sense light and showed improved cognitive function in the presence of light. The group was able to determine when a light was on, despite not being able to consciously see it, at a greater rate than if they were to simply guess. They also showed increased cognitive function when performing memory related tasks in the presence of a blue light, again despite not being able to see it consciously. Scientist believe this supports the theory of the presence of a default network, which is thought to be unconsciously and continuously scanning our surrounding.  

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20131029/Study-Light-enhances-brain-activity-during-cognitive-task-even-in-blind-people.aspx?page=2