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Journal Club with Dr. Peter Attia | Effects of Light & Dark on Mental Health & Treatments for Cancer

Huberman Lab

NOTE

The mechanism for Impact of Light on Mental Health

The biological mechanism involves specialized cells in the neural retina, called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which respond to different types of light and transmit information to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus regulates the circadian clock and sends signals to the brain and body to be awake or asleep. Additionally, these cells project to brain areas that influence mood by affecting the release of dopamine and serotonin. Hence, light not only regulates the circadian rhythm but also directly impacts mood through these cellular mechanisms.

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