Near-Infrared And Red Light Therapy For Brain Health (Slow Progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease)
Recent studies have now found that photobiomodulation may significantly slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Red and near-infrared light have been shown to:
Benefit cognitive performance and memory
Improved mitochondrial function of brain cells
Have a protective effect on neurons
Improve cellular repair of neurons
Increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)
Decrease brain inflammation (decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines)
Câmara AB, et al. (2018). Sunlight Incidence, Vitamin D Deficiency, and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Med Food. 2018 Mar 22. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.0130.
Sorenson, M, (2016). New Research Sheds More Light on Parkinson’s Disease Sunlight Institute
Wang, J, et al. (2016). Vitamin D and Sunlight Exposure in Newly-Diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease Nutrients. 2016 Mar; 8(3): 142.
Hamblin, M, et al. (2018). Low-level light therapy: Photobiomodulation. Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
Meng, C. et al. (2013). Low-level laser therapy rescues dendrite atrophy via upregulating BDNF expression: implications for Alzheimer’s disease. The Journal of Neuroscience.
Johnstone, D. et al. (2015). Turning On Lights to Stop Neurodegeneration: The Potential of Near Infrared Light Therapy in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Frontiers in Neuroscience.
de la Torre, JC. (2017). Treating cognitive impairment with transcranial low level laser therapy. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology.
Hamblin, M. (2016). Shining light on the head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders. BBA Clinical.
Johnstone, D. et. al. (2015). Turning On Lights to Stop Neurodegeneration: The Potential of Near Infrared Light Therapy in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 9: 500.
Fannie Darlot,Ph.D., et al. (2015) Near-infrared light is neuroprotective in a monkey model of Parkinson disease