Sains Malaysiana 49(9)(2020): 2091-2099

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4909-07

Nocturnal Blue Light Exposure Increase Alpha and Beta Brain Waves as Cognition Function for Two Consecutive Night Driving in a Car Simulator

(Pendedahan Cahaya Biru Nokturnal Meningkatkan Gelombang Otak Alfa dan Beta sebagai Fungsi Pengecaman untuk Dua Pemanduan Malam Berturut-turut dalam Pensimulasi Kereta)

LULU LUSIANTI FITRI¹*, KINANTI PRESTIASANI¹ & SUPRIJANTO²

¹School of Life Science and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40312, Indonesia

²Engineering Physics Department, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia

Received: 26 January 2020/Accepted: 1 April 2020

ABSTRACT

Driving is a complex activity that engage complex motor, sensor, and cognitive function which can be analyzed through brain wave using electroencephalograph (EEG). Decrease of cognitive function while driving in long period at night linked with drowsiness and exposure of blue light to driver in night-driving could improve cognitive function; yet, studies describing its exposure in longer duration and repetition effects are needed. In this study, 15 adult males experienced driving session on the car simulator with a straight and monotonous road for 2 consecutive nights for 30 min without pause. The participants were divided into three driving groups as follows: in dark condition (control), under exposure to polychromatic blue light (450-540 nm) and monochromatic blue LED light (460 nm). All participants’ brain waves were recorded by EEG during the driving session from two channels of F3 and F4 representing cognitive function of the brain. The results showed that there was a significant increase of beta and alpha wave power spectral density on the second day of exposure in both blue light treatment groups. However, monochromatic blue light gave a more stable beta wave than the other two lights which indicate a much stronger cognitive process. There was also a synchronization from both channels of F3 and F4 in all treatments which shows that alpha and beta waves do not necessarily work in an antagonistic way. In summary, repeated, continuous exposure of blue light may increase alpha and beta wave power spectral density, in which monochromatic blue light causes better cognitive state than polychromatic blue light.

Keywords: Blue light; brain wave; driving simulator; EEG; power spectral density

ABSTRAK

Memandu ialah aktiviti kompleks yang dipengaruhi fungsi motor, sensor dan pengecaman otak serta dapat diukur melalui perangkat elektroensefalograf (EEG). Memandu pada tempoh yang lama pada waktu malam boleh meningkatkan rasa mengantuk serta menurunkan fungsi pengecaman. Ini dapat dibantu dengan mendedahkan cahaya biru untuk meningkatkan fungsi pengecaman, namun data menunjukkan bahawa pendedahan memerlukan tempoh yang lama dan berulang. Kajian ini menggunakan 15 pemandu lelaki dalam pensimulasi kereta selama dua malam berturut-turut di jalan raya yang lurus dan bosan selama 30 min tanpa berhenti. Pemandu dibahagikan kepada tiga kumpulan iaitu: tanpa cahaya (kawalan), pendedahan kepada cahaya biru polikromatik (450-540 nm) dan pendedahan cahaya biru LED monokromatik (460 nm). Gelombang otak setiap pemandu diukur menggunakan EEG daripada dua saluran F3 dan F4 yang mewakili fungsi pengecaman di otak, Hasil menunjukkan kenaikan daya gelombang beta dan alfa secara bererti (p <0.01) pada hari kedua dalam kedua-dua pendedahan cahaya biru. Gelombang beta cahaya biru monokromatik lebih stabil sejurus menjelaskan berlangsungnya proses pengecaman yang lebih tinggi berbanding cahaya biru polikromatik dan kawalan. Penyegerakan pola gelombang otak di F3 dan F4 menunjukkan gelombang alfa dan beta tidak perlu bertindak secara bertentangan. Secara rumusan, pendedahan berulang cahaya biru dapat meningkatkan gelombang alfa dan beta pada fungsi pengecaman otak ketika memandu pada waktu malam dan cahaya biru monokromatik memfasilitasi proses pengecaman yang lebih baik daripada cahaya biru polikromatik.

Kata kunci: Cahaya biru; EEG; gelombang otak; nilai daya gelombang; pensimulasi memandu

REFERENCES

Bazanova, O.M. & Vernon, D. 2014. Interpreting EEG alpha activity. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 44: 94-110.

Benedek, M., Bergner, S., Konen, T., Fink, A. & Neubauer, A.C. 2011. EEG alpha synchronization is related to top-down processing in convergent and divergent thinking. Neuropsychologia 49(12): 3505-3511.

Blume, C., Garbazza, C. & Spitschan, M. 2019. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie 23(3): 147-156.

Boyce, P.R., Veitch, J.A., Newsham, G.R., Jones, C.C., Heerwagen, J., Myer, M. & Hunter, C.M. 2006. Lighting Quality and Office Work: Two Field Simulation Experiments. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States Department of Energy.

Cao, D. & Barrionuevo, P.A. 2015. The importance of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells and implication for lighting design. Journal of Solid State Lighting 2: 10-17.

Fitri, L.L., Chusnia, C. & Suprijanto. 2018. Blue light exposure and visual distraction effect of the cognition brain waves of driver in car simulation at night. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 197-012051. pp. 1-6.

Kűller, R. 2002. The influence of light on circa rhythms in humans. Journal of Physiological Anthropology 21(2): 87-91.

Lim, S., Yeo, M. & Yoon, G. 2019. Comparison between concentration and immersion based on EEG analysis. Sensors 19: 1-13.

Lin, C.T., Wu, R.C., Liang, S.F., Chao, W.H., Chen, Y.J. & Jung, T.P. 2005. EEG - Based drowsiness estimation for safety driving using independent component analysis. IEEE Transaction on Circuits and Systems-I: Regular Papers 52(12): 2726-2738.

Mazaheri, A., van Schouwenburg, M.R., Dimitrijevic, A., Denys, D., Cools, R. & Jensen, O. 2014. Region-specific modulations in oscillatory alpha activity serve to facilitate processing in the visual and auditory modalities. NeuroImage 87: 356-362.

Purawijaya, D.A., Fitri, L.L. & Suprijanto. 2015. Evaluation of blue light exposure to β brainwave on simulated night driving. In AIP Conference Proceedings for the 5th International Conference on Mathematics and Natural Sciences. pp. 1-3.

Revell, V.L., Barret, D.C.G., Schlangen, L.J.M. & Skene, D.J. 2010. Predicting human nocturnal nonvisual responses to monochromatic and polychromatic light with a melanopsin photosensitivity function. Chronobiology International 27(9-10): 1762-1777.

Rumbayan, M., Abudureyimu, A. & Nagasaka, K. 2012. Mapping of solar energy potential in Indonesia and geographical information system. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16(2012): 1437-1449.

Sakai, H., Takahara, M., Honjo, N.F., Doi, S.I., Sadato, N. & Uchiyama, Y. 2012. Regional frontal gray matter volume associated with executive function capacity as a risk factor for vehicle crashes in normal aging adults. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45920.

Santamaria, J. & Chiappa, K.H. 1987. The EEG of drowsiness in normal adults. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology 4(4): 327-382.

Subha, D.P., Joseph, P.K., Acharya, R. & Lim, C.M. 2010. EEG signal analysis: A survey. Journal of Medical Systems 34: 195-212.

Taillard, J., Capelli, A., Sagaspe, P., Anund, A., Akerstedt, T. & Phillip, P. 2012. In car nocturnal blue light exposure improves motorway driving: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE 7(10): e46750.

Takahashi, N., Shimizu, S., Hirata, Y., Nara, H., Inoue, H., Hirai, N., Kikuchi, S., Watanabe, E. & Kato, S. 2011. Basic study of analysis of human brain activities during car driving. In Human Interface, Part I, HCII, LCBS 6771. pp. 627-635.

Tosini, F., Ferguson, I. & Tsubota, K. 2016. Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology. Molecular Vision 22: 61-72.

Treutlein, P. 2016. Photon qubit is made of two colors. Physics 9: 135.

Viola, A.U., James, L.M., Schlanger, L.J. & Dijk, D.J. 2008. Blue-enriched white light in the workplace improves self-reported alertness, performance and sleep quality. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 34(4): 297-306.

 Zain-Ahmed, A., Sopian, K., Abidin, Z.Z. & Othman, M.H.Y.  2002. The availability of daylight form tropical skies - A case study of Malaysia. Renewable Energy 25(1): 21-30.

*Corresponding author; email: lfitri@sith.itb.ac.id