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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.06.28.735029

Pre-task light exposure primes higher-order cognition and preserves mood

Mahfoud, D.·Najjar, R. P.
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Abstract

Light is a fundamental regulator of human physiology and behaviour. Whether prior light exposure shapes subsequent higher-order cognition and mood beyond the period of exposure remains unknown. We tested this in a within-subject, randomised crossover experiment in which 24 healthy young adult males completed a multimodal cognitive battery following 2x15 min of full-spectrum light (FL; median 1,029 melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance [mEDI]) or standard indoor light (SL; median 234 mEDI), with all testing conducted under identical dim illumination. FL improved Digit-Symbol Substitution Test accuracy and promoted digit-directed gaze reallocation, consistent with more efficient associative encoding. On the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, FL reduced reward-seeking behaviour and suppressed backward-referencing gaze transitions linking current and prior-trial reward information. Mood declined following SL but remained stable after FL. Sustained attention, vigilance, and subjective sleepiness were unaffected. Our findings identify pre-task FL exposure as a selective primer of higher-order cognition and mood, independent of alertness.

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Mahfoud, D., Najjar, R. P.. 2026-07-02. Pre-task light exposure primes higher-order cognition and preserves mood. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.28.735029

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