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Light Stimulation Pathway for Fetal Brain Revealed

by Dr. Jayashree Gopinath on Sep 21 2021 11:51 PM

 Light Stimulation Pathway for Fetal Brain Revealed
A new link between light exposure during pregnancy and fetal brain development is discovered that may provide a better understanding of certain neurological diseases later in life. The findings are published in the journal eNeuro.
Researchers have demonstrated that a light receptor called Opsin 3 is present in parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems during the early stages of fetal development.

The Opsin 3 molecule has an important role in the formation of various neurons, neural pathways, and areas of the brain and spinal cord.

Opsin 3 expression can be linked to several motor and sensory neural pathways that regulate movement, pain, vision, and olfaction, as well as memory, mood, and emotion.

Previous studies have shown that light can pass through skin, soft tissue, and the skull to activate photoreceptors. Opsin 3 detects light in the blue range at a wavelength of approximately 480 nanometres.

Researchers have discovered the expression pattern of this receptor which suggests that light plays a vital role in the development and subsequent function of the brain.

This discovery also explains why the risk of certain neurological and psychiatric diseases varies depending on the seasonal time of birth. This unexplained correlation has been observed in diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, bipolar disorder, autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.

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While the new findings are based on observations of the brain and nervous system of mice, the function is deemed to be similar in humans. Researchers may continue with more detailed studies of how Opsin 3 affects the development and function of the brain.

Source-Medindia


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