Category: Dementia

What is Photobiomodulation?

10/25/2019

Photobiomodulation
How light protects our memory

Has your brain felt weak or foggy recently? Maybe it’s not functioning at the same speed that it used to. This decline in functioning may be a result of the health of the energy source in your brain cells, the mitochondria. At an early age we learn that the sun is responsible for all life on earth. Light plays a key role in our bodies processes, for example, our vision is based on photosensitive cells in our retinas called photoreceptors. It should come as no surprise then, that research now suggests that a specific kind of light from the sun can help heal illnesses, stopping, and even reversing dementia symptoms, e.g., memory loss and personality changes.

Research has shown that stimulating your brain with near infrared light stimulates the action of our mitochondria and helps restore the brain to optimal functioning. This process is called Photobiomodulation (light therapy) and at Quietmind infrared light or near-infrared (NIR) light to stimulate the mitochondria in our cells. Light therapy stimulates the mitochondria in our brain cells, or neurons.

Light therapy is being research as a treatment option ranging from replacing botox to memory loss prevention.

Light Therapy History

Photobiomodulation was first developed in the 1960s by Endre Mester of the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. Dr. Mester embarked on a study to assess if laser light (low infrared or near-infrared light) caused cancer in mice. He took some mice, divided them into two groups, shaved the fur off their backs, and applied laser treatment with a low powered ruby laser to one of the two groups. Laser did not cause cancer. In fact, it did quite the opposite. The mice exposed to the laser grew their fur back twice as fast as the untreated group. From this experiment onward, Dr. Mester has been dubbed the father of photobiomodulation.
In the early 2000s, Light Therapy was shown to improve the symptoms of neck pain, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome beyond a placebo response, which led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the first low-level light therapy as medical devices for pain relief.

How Photobiomodulation / Light Therapy Works

Light exists on a spectrum. The human eye can only see a fraction of the existing natural light. Light therapy devices emit a low power near-infrared light (800nm - 1100nm) which is outside of the visible spectrum of human eyes but can still penetrate the human skin, skull, and brain. Infrared light is an essential component to Light Therapy because of its unique ability to both remedy chronic brain conditions and help maintain a healthy brain state.

If you think back to high school biology, you may remember the overworked phrase, “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.” Essentially, the mitochondria provides each cell with energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that maintains the cell and helps it to function properly. Our muscles flex and our heart beats all thanks to the diligent work of ATP.

Injury, disease, and/or old age can inflict stress upon our cells. Cell stress causes our mitochondria to act up and begin to produce something called nitric oxide. Nitric Oxide can often be useful for our bodies, helping us reduce muscle soreness and lowering our blood pressure. However, when produced in excess in the mitochondria, nitric oxide competitively stunts ATP production leading to something called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been known to cause a wide range of dreadful dysfunctions such as inflammation, cell death, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The good news is that photobiomodulation eliminates these problems by disrupting the harmful effects that nitric oxide has on ATP production in the mitochondria. Specifically, light therapy targets a light sensitive enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in the mitochondria. The infrared or near infrared light absorbed by CCO helps increase the enzyme's activity and increases ATP production. Additionally, this process enhances nitric oxide synthesis, resulting in vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels) and increased cerebral perfusion (blood flow to the brain).

How does Light Therapy help memory loss?

Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, or any neurodegenerative disorder, can be characterized by the progressive structural and functional loss and/or death of neurons which leads to a decline in cognitive, memory, and motor abilities. More specifically, reduced CCO activity (the enzyme we spoke about earlier in the mitochondria), lower ATP production, and disrupted connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) are hallmarks of neurodegenerative disease.
Light therapy targets these exact problems and helps restore the brain to proper functioning. In most cases, Photobiomodulation shows beneficial effects by increasing mitochondrial function, reducing protein accumulation, reducing oxidative stress, and suppressing inflammation. In fact, many renowned studies have shown that PBM can specifically target these issues that are common to dementia and memory loss, leading to improvements on the Mini Mental State Examination and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale.

What does a light therapy session look like?

Since 2007, we have worked to understand how PBM and light therapy can improve memory loss in people with memory loss or dementia. There are a number of devices available for light therapy use. At QuietMind, we use the 1070nm pulsed (40h) Cognitolite, QM/Neuronic 1070nm transcranial PBM system and 810nm and the Vielight Neuro alpha (10hz) and gamma (40hz) pulse rates.

Cognitolite was developed in the UK and studied by researchers at Durham University’s Department of Neuronal Physics. Quietmind has been studying this device for 13 years. The Cognitolite uses 1068nm pulsed infrared LEDs that covers the whole head and shines light into the eyes. Cognitolite uses 1100

Vielight is a 4 diode headset with a single diode for intranasal NIR PBM stimulation. Its 5 powerful diodes are compared to the Cognitolite’s 1100 LEDs and also has a diode that is inserted into one nostril to stimulate the nasal blood vessels. QMF’s clinical research experience has convinced us that combining neurofeedback and infrared light therapy using the Cognitolite, QM/Neuronic or the Vielight, are worthwhile investments in healing and protecting our brain’s healthy functioning.

Light therapy can help with a wide range of issues outside of improving memory loss. For that reason, a light therapy session can look very different depending on what is being treated and what device is being used. Sessions can be administered in a clinical setting or at home.

The first step when using photobiomodulation to help with memory loss issues is to complete a baseline Quantitative EEG brain mapping report to understand the extent of the current functioning. After the initial QEEG, an infrared transcranial headset is placed on the patient along with an intranasal neuro applicator. This combination allows the patient to receive light stimulation both on the top of their brain and the underside of the brain, as these pictures demonstrate. On average, the recommended treatment is around 20 minutes per day for up to a month.

Have you or someone you know experienced memory loss?

Quietmind Foundation is recruiting subjects who are interested in joining a clinical trials using the Cognitolite device at home for 2 months.

Learn More

Call (610) 940-0488

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Leading Edge Commentary

What is Photobiomodulation?

Photobiomodulation
How light protects our memory

Light Therapy History

How Photobiomodulation / Light Therapy Works

How does Light Therapy help memory loss?

What does a light therapy session look like?

Have you or someone you know experienced memory loss?

Video: How we use Infrared Light to Treat Symptoms of Dementia

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Leading Edge Commentary

What is Photobiomodulation?

PhotobiomodulationHow light protects our memory​

Light Therapy History

How Photobiomodulation / Light Therapy Works

How does Light Therapy help memory loss?

What does a light therapy session look like?

Have you or someone you know experienced memory loss?

Video: How we use Infrared Light to Treat Symptoms of Dementia

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Photobiomodulation
How light protects our memory