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

Visual System01:26

Visual System

1.7K
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
1.7K
Visual Agnosia01:12

Visual Agnosia

999
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round...
999
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

8.8K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
8.8K
Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence01:23

Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence

1.7K
Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing...
1.7K
Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence01:23

Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence

2.0K
David Wechsler, a psychologist who worked with World War I veterans, developed a significant IQ test in 1939 called the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. This test was innovative because it combined several subtests that measured both verbal and nonverbal skills, reflecting Wechsler's belief that intelligence is a global capacity involving purposeful action, rational thinking, and effective interaction with the environment. This test later evolved into the Wechsler Adult Intelligence...
2.0K
Structural Protein Function01:56

Structural Protein Function

29.8K
Structural proteins are a category of proteins responsible for functions ranging from cell shape and movement to providing support to major structures such as bones, cartilage, hair, and muscles. This group includes proteins such as collagen, actin, myosin, and keratin.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity.  In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
29.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Analysis of human visual experience data.

Journal of vision·2026
Same author

Associations between habitual light exposure-related behaviors and sleep timing and sleep complaints in an international community sample.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Paws for thought.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Lower breathing frequencies in personalized slow-paced breathing enhance relaxation and reduce arousal.

iScience·2026
Same author

Time to listen: harnessing podcasts for stakeholder engagement in circadian and sleep science.

Npj biological timing and sleep·2026
Same author

Sneezing in response to naturalistic bright light exposure.

F1000Research·2026
Same journal

The default mode network: where spontaneous thought meets memory consolidation.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
Same journal

Brain activity is not only for thinking.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
Same journal

Role of striatal dopamine signaling in compulsive eating associated with obesity.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
Same journal

Timescales of dopamine release in the striatum as a window into hierarchical control.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
Same journal

Contributions of default mode network to subjective valuation and maladaptive decision making.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
Same journal

Evolution of neural circuits in the origin of behavioral novelty.

Current opinion in behavioral sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats
07:41

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats

Published on: October 23, 2020

6.7K

Melanopsin contributions to non-visual and visual function.

Manuel Spitschan1,2,3

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
|August 10, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Melanopsin, a light-detecting pigment in the eye, plays a key role in both vision and non-visual functions like circadian rhythms. Further research is needed to fully understand its complex signaling pathways.

More Related Videos

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

12.2K
Visualizing Visual Adaptation
04:43

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats
07:41

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats

Published on: October 23, 2020

6.7K
Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

12.2K
Visualizing Visual Adaptation
04:43

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Neuroscience
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Melanopsin is a recently discovered photopigment crucial for light detection.
  • It is expressed in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), enabling light signaling independent of rods and cones.
  • The full extent of melanopsin's role in human visual and non-visual functions is still under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the current understanding of melanopsin's contributions to visual functions.
  • To summarize the known roles of melanopsin in non-visual functions.
  • To highlight areas where further research on melanopsin signaling is required.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on melanopsin.
  • Analysis of studies investigating melanopsin's role in visual perception (detection, discrimination, brightness).
  • Examination of research on melanopsin's impact on non-visual processes (melatonin suppression, circadian phase shifting).

Main Results:

  • Melanopsin contributes to visual functions such as light detection and brightness estimation.
  • It significantly influences non-visual functions, including the regulation of circadian rhythms and melatonin production.
  • ipRGCs expressing melanopsin provide essential light information to various brain regions.

Conclusions:

  • Melanopsin is a vital photopigment with significant roles in both visual and non-visual human physiology.
  • Understanding melanopsin signaling is crucial for addressing visual impairments and circadian rhythm disorders.
  • Continued research is essential to fully elucidate the complex mechanisms and functions of melanopsin.