Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Traits, Mood, and Subjective Wellbeing01:22

Traits, Mood, and Subjective Wellbeing

329
Subjective well-being (SWB) refers to an individual's self-evaluation of their overall life satisfaction, happiness, and fulfillment. This multifaceted construct is typically assessed by analyzing the balance of positive and negative emotions alongside perceptions of life satisfaction. Personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion are strongly associated with variations in SWB, offering critical insights into the underlying mechanisms of emotional well-being.
Neuroticism and...
329
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

2.1K
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
2.1K
The Retina01:32

The Retina

76.8K
The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.
76.8K
C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

49.2K
Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
49.2K
Light as Energy01:35

Light as Energy

96.0K
The energy required to carry out photosynthesis is light— typically electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The range of all possible wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.
Photons
A photon is a discrete electromagnetic particle or bundle of energy. Photons are characterized by their frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, similar to the properties of a wave. Waves with higher frequencies transmit more energy and have shorter wavelengths than longer wavelengths that transmit...
96.0K
Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness01:14

Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness

2.6K
Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

M4-ipRGCs regulate contrast sensitivity in vision.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Inducing Daytime Circadian Phase Shifts Using Chemogenetic and Spectral Approaches.

Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE·2026
Same author

Targeting PID1 generates oxysterols to switch macrophage cell fates for improved antitumor immunity.

Nature cancer·2026
Same author

Quantifying electrostatic control of docking and binding energetics in functional Cx36 gap junctions.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

Analysis of sleep quality and its influencing factors among residents in Chengguan District of Lhasa.

BMC public health·2026
Same author

Tuning excitatory input to fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive interneurons: a lever for plasticity and hyperexcitability across the lifespan.

Frontiers in synaptic neuroscience·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning
11:02

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Published on: August 21, 2015

24.5K

Light Affects Mood and Learning through Distinct Retina-Brain Pathways.

Diego Carlos Fernandez1, P Michelle Fogerson2, Lorenzo Lazzerini Ospri3

  • 1Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.

Cell
|September 4, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Light

Keywords:
aberrant light cyclecircadian rhythmsipRGCslearningmoodperihabenular nucleussuprachiasmatic nucleusventromedial prefrontal cortex

More Related Videos

Preparation of Developing and Adult Drosophila Brains and Retinae for Live Imaging
16:47

Preparation of Developing and Adult Drosophila Brains and Retinae for Live Imaging

Published on: March 15, 2010

36.4K
Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation
08:47

Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation

Published on: March 5, 2018

9.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning
11:02

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Published on: August 21, 2015

24.5K
Preparation of Developing and Adult Drosophila Brains and Retinae for Live Imaging
16:47

Preparation of Developing and Adult Drosophila Brains and Retinae for Live Imaging

Published on: March 15, 2010

36.4K
Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation
08:47

Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation

Published on: March 5, 2018

9.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Light significantly impacts mood and learning, mediated by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs).
  • The specific neural pathways and central mediators for these light-induced effects remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the distinct neural circuits through which intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) regulate mood and learning.
  • To identify the central mediators responsible for light's influence on cognitive functions and affective behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated distinct ipRGC output pathways.
  • Utilized a combination of neuroanatomical tracing and behavioral analyses to map light-sensing pathways.
  • Examined the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and a newly identified thalamic region (perihabenular nucleus, PHb).

Main Results:

  • Light's effects on learning are mediated by ipRGCs projecting to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), independent of its pacemaker role.
  • Mood regulation by light involves an SCN-independent pathway from ipRGCs to the perihabenular nucleus (PHb).
  • The perihabenular nucleus (PHb) is crucial for mediating light's effects on affective behavior, connecting ipRGCs to mood centers.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct ipRGC output streams differentially regulate learning and mood.
  • The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is involved in light-mediated learning, while the perihabenular nucleus (PHb) is key for light's mood effects.
  • This research reveals novel neural substrates for how light influences cognition and emotion.