{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"institution":[{"name":"bioRxiv"}],"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T19:01:46Z","timestamp":1790276506813,"version":"4.1.0"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"group-title":"Neuroscience","reference-count":107,"publisher":"openRxiv","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"award":["DP2 EY027983"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DP2 EY027983"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01cwqze88","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["T32 EY025202"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["T32 EY025202"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01cwqze88","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["F31 EY036265"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["F31 EY036265"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01cwqze88","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Christina Enroth-Cugell Graduate Research Award"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>SUMMARY<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Light is a fundamental feature of an animal\u2019s environment, signaling time of day, weather changes, approaching predators, and other survival cues. The extensive projections from the retina to the brain provide an anatomical substrate for light to adaptively tune circuit function based on changing environmental light. Yet we understand little about the scope and functional impact of light outside of visual and circadian circuits. To address this, we created a whole-brain atlas of light-induced cFos expression in the mouse brain. This approach yielded a strikingly broad pattern of light-driven cFos activation throughout the brain that extended beyond canonical visual circuits, with unexpectedly strong modulation of neuromodulatory centers. These patterns differed starkly in males and females, and were dependent primarily on melanopsin-expressing, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. These findings uncover surprising brainwide patterns of light modulation and are shared as an interactive resource so that they can inspire new, future studies.<\/jats:p>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>HIGHLIGHTS<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\">\n                    <jats:list-item>\n                      <jats:p>Whole-brain atlas of light-induced cFos expression<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:list-item>\n                    <jats:list-item>\n                      <jats:p>Light globally shifts brainwide activity<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:list-item>\n                    <jats:list-item>\n                      <jats:p>Melanopsin regulates baseline neuronal tone in a sex-dependent manner<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:list-item>\n                    <jats:list-item>\n                      <jats:p>Integration of light into neuromodulatory centers could underlie light\u2019s effect<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:list-item>\n                  <\/jats:list>\n                <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.64898\/2026.09.14.751302","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T18:25:11Z","timestamp":1790015111000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["SEX-DEPENDENT MODULATION OF WHOLE BRAIN cFOS EXPRESSION BY LIGHT AND MELANOPSIN IN THE MOUSE"],"prefix":"10.64898","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5952-367X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacob D.","family":"Bhoi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"},{"name":"Interdepartmental Neuroscience Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maya R.","family":"Sheth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisseth","family":"Gonzalez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrew","family":"Kang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna C.","family":"Wcislak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4791-6775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiffany M.","family":"Schmidt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA"},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"54368","reference":[{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-021-25378-w"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.44358"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2301608120"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14771535221078765"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/biology9070180"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1103214108"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-026-69564-0"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2022.07.009"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bcp.2020.114404"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2018.08.004"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature11673"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-29154-4"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-13973-1"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.34172\/jrhs.2021.66"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2024.108845"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2023.1217799"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/07487304241276888"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2019.0571"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-25883-3"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2025.179188"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2024.177059"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers16152653"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.23","unstructured":"Al-Naggar, R.A. , and Anil, S . Artificial Light at Night and Cancer: Global Study. Asian Pac. J. Cancer Prev. 17."},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dowling, J.E . (2012). The retina: an approachable part of the brain Revised Edition. (Harvard University Press).","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctv31zqj2d"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00018-020-03641-5"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1067262"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1069609"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2019.07.016"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.celrep.2022.111040"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-vision-100419-112009"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature16468"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-018-05134-3"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.celrep.2017.01.075"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.23635"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.celrep.2026.117662"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.20970"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.25061"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41583-023-00788-5"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2024.11.015"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0748730413497190"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2018.07.008"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-00934-2_30"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ISBIC56247.2022.9854534"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/WACV45572.2020.9093435"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-17204-5"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2020.04.007"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.celrep.2025.115876"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2004.06.044"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0748730420961214"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.2112267"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-026-70762-z"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-vision-102016-061331"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.53","unstructured":"Miguel, K.C. , Aranda, M.L. , Bhoi, J.D. , Diaz, M. , Evans, J.A. , and Schmidt, M. Melanopsin contributes to circadian photic responses in mice in a sex-dependent manner."},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.54","unstructured":"Aranda, M.L. , Braun, C.A. , Hyman, S. , and Schipma, A.E. Light gates hormonal modulation of threat avoidance in female mice."},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/sleep\/zsag057"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/2024.10.18.619012"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0150665"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/ajpendo.00268.2025"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13293-024-00679-z"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2004.07.020"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2010.07.034"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2016.09.006"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-369497-3.10028-7"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2012.08.036"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-021-02110-4"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainresrev.2007.05.004"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2012.03.017"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2014.07.002"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.69","unstructured":"Wang, Y.-M. , Xu, F. , Gainetdinov, R.R. , and Caron, M.G. NOREPINEPHRINE: NEW VISTAS FOR AN OLD NEUROTRANSMITTER Genetic Approaches to Studying Norepinephrine Function: Knockout of the Mouse Norepinephrine Transporter Gene."},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.70","first-page":"430","volume":"7","year":"2001","journal-title":"Gain Modulation in the Central Nervous System: Where Behavior, Neurophysiology, and Computation Meet"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.71","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2016.06.057"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.72","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.20-20-07790.2000"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.73","first-page":"1237","volume":"248","year":"1990","journal-title":"Light Pulses That Shift Rhythms Induce Gene Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.74","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1267\/ahc.18001"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.75","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1906595116"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.76","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0748730414533289"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.77","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainres.2004.06.081"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.78","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-36955-6"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.79","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.85064"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.80","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scitranslmed.abo2022"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.81","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2019.305278"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.82","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yfrne.2014.05.004"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.83","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s007370050040"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.84","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-025-09894-z"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.85","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-025-63675-w"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.86","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2017.09.005"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.87","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aea3381"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.88","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.12717\/DR.2015.19.2.061"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.89","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.902960402"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.90","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0165-0270(89)90150-7"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.91","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fncel.2015.00072"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.92","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2826.2008.01734.x"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.93","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.mie.2018.01.023"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.94","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24072\/pcjournal.156"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.95","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-017-0029-5"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.96","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/lm.698107"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.97","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature11823"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.98","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.celrep.2018.04.086"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.99","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1222150110"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.100","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.22861"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.101","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nn.2845"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.102","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2018.06.032"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.103","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2010.05.023"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.104","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-17204-5"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.105","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2014.01.060"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.106","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2202\/1544-6115.1585"},{"key":"2026092411450779000_2026.09.14.751302v1.107","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.65751"}],"container-title":[],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.64898\/2026.09.14.751302","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T18:45:17Z","timestamp":1790275517000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/biorxiv.org\/lookup\/doi\/10.64898\/2026.09.14.751302"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"references-count":107,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.64898\/2026.09.14.751302","relation":{},"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"subtype":"preprint"}}