Brynne Snaguski | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Brynne Snaguski
Title: The Effects of Different Types of Light at Night on Learning and Memory
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Biology
Advisor: Claudia Thompson
Exposure to artificial light at night is widely believed to disrupt the body鈥檚 circadian rhythm, potentially leading to poor sleep quality and impaired cognitive function. This project investigated how nighttime light exposure influences learning and memory using a controlled animal model. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of three lighting conditions: a normal light/dark cycle, blue light exposure at night, or white light exposure at night. The experiment consisted of two phases. In the first phase, spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris Water Maze to determine whether lighting conditions affected performance. Following this phase, all subjects were returned to a standard light/dark cycle. The second phase evaluated whether any potential sleep disruption effects could be reversed, allowing rats to recover and pay off their sleep debt. Across both phases, all groups demonstrated improvement in the Morris Water Maze task, indicating learning over time. However, no significant differences were observed between lighting conditions in either phase. Additionally, weight gain did not differ significantly across groups. These findings suggest that, under the conditions tested, nighttime light exposure did not strongly impair spatial learning or memory in rats. I found this project interesting because we are putting ourselves in these lighting conditions. Specifically, I wanted to know whether I was harming myself with scrolling on social media before bed. Although I did not find significant results, this might suggest that it is not just the exposure to light, as we commonly believe, but the engagement with the light exposure. Future research should examine whether active engagement with light exposure, rather than exposure alone, contributes to the effects associated with light at night.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
