Can Light Therapy Benefit Alzheimer's Sufferers?

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Jan 25, 2024

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As I was researching my January 13, Brain Imagining Technologies post, I came across numerous therapies that use light to improve cognitive function. This was a big surprise to me so I decided to look into it more. These therapies and treatments include: photobiomodulation, bright light therapy, red light therapy, near infrared-light treatment, and gamma rhythm (flickering light).

I will focus this post on photobiomodulation (PBM) since the market has responded to it with the creation of numerous companies that provide PBM devices (e.g. helmets, head harnesses) that you can purchase yourself. I’ll also touch on bright light and gamma rhythm therapy.

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Photobiomodulation

Red light therapy, known as photobiomodulation in the medical industry, uses a combination of red and near-infrared light to induce faster healing, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.1 I’ve identified five companies that sell devices that provide PBM treatment to the brain with claims of improving cognitive function and reducing AD symptoms. I will summarize the products and claims for you but encourage you to review the research that supports their claims via their websites. Also, the resources section at the bottom of this post will help you understand PBM and how it improves brain function.

I’ve mentioned many times in my posts that I disagree with the “Diagnose and Adiós” approach in treating AD where once a sufferer is diagnosed with the disease they are told nothing can be done. I’d rather not be passive but attack the disease and see what happens. The most expensive photobiomodulation device summarized below is just over $3,000 and one is just over $1,000. While this isn’t cheap, it isn’t super expensive either. If I was diagnosed with the beginnings of AD I would certainly use one of these devices and hope for the best.

Vielight

Vielight may be the most well known of the five companies. They have light based products that treat Alzheimer’s Disease, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, Autism, PTSD and Long-Covid.

The Vielight devices attach to the head like a harness providing transcranial light to the brain. Their unique engineering design includes an intranasal feature that sends light through the nose to the brain. They claim this is especially effective since there is no significant barrier that blocks light from entering the brain.

Typical of all PBM devices, Vielight claims their units will increase brain energy by revitalizing mitochondria, improving blood flow to the brain and increasing neuro connectivity. All of these have a positive impact on overall brain health.

They offer various devices and provide online consulting to help the consumer choose the appropriate device for their situation. Device pricing ranges from $1,700 to about $3,000. The two videos below are very short and provide a good overview of Vielight’s research and technology.

Neuronic

This company has one product, the NEURADIANT 1070. It has a much sleeker look than some of its competitors and looks somewhat like a bicycle helmet. It uses LED lights to support the brain’s natural activities and is designed to help keep your mind sharp and focused enhancing your cognitive function. It also claims to promote blood circulation and optimize sleep. Both of which may help with cognition.

Per Neuronic’s Alzheimer’s page on the company’s website:

PBM may have the potential to slow down or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer's. PBM involves the use of low-level light energy to stimulate cellular function and promote healing. The brain is particularly sensitive to light, and research has shown that photobiomodulation (PBM) can improve brain function by increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and promoting the growth of new neurons and blood vessels.

Other claims from Neuronic’s Alzheimer’s page:

Reduction of amyloid-beta protein levels: PBM can reduce the levels of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain, as demonstrated in several studies published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2020 and 2018.

This is very interesting to me. If light can reduce amyloid plaques then why does the medical profession spend 85% of it annual $3.5 billion budget in researching drugs that do the same thing?

Stimulation of autophagy: PBM has been shown to stimulate autophagy in brain cells, which can help to clear up amyloid-beta proteins.
Neuroprotection: photobiomodulation (PBM) has neuroprotective effects that can protect neurons from damage.
Anti-inflammatory effects: photobiomodulation (PBM) has anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce inflammation in the brain.
Increased BDNF production: photobiomodulation (PBM) can increase BDNF production, which can improve neuronal function.

The company recommends using the helmet for 10 minutes every day. The cost of the device is $3,395.00 and you can purchase three months of consultation for $795.

Weber Medical LED Infrared Helmet

Weber Medical is a German company with an assortment of innovative devices, some of which I couldn’t figure out what they do. One of there devices is the LED Infrared helmet. It looks similar to the NEURADIANT 1070 above and claims to “recharge your brain” with 320 powerful infrared diodes that penetrate the body tissue and stimulate your microcirculation.

What is unique about the device is that it comes with an external tablet that allows the user to configure the duration, intensity and wave frequency (hertz). Its recommended usage is between 20 - 30 minutes per day. Unlike some of the other helmets, this one is for general brain health and does not claim any direct benefit for AD. The cost of the helmet is $3,200.

MitoMIND™ Helmet

Mitoredlight is a company with many red light products. These include panels and handhelds that you might see in a health club, spa or fitness center. They may be the leader in red light devices and they offer the MitoMIND™ Helmet for enhanced brain performance and overall well-being.

The helmet claims to increase cognitive function, mental clarity and focus but makes no direct claims for benefiting AD sufferers. It uses 256 LEDs and has an external tablet that allows the user to choose from one of six programs: Recharge, Sleep, Meditate, Relax, Concentrate, or Peak Focus.

The cost of the device is $2,195.00.

Symbyx

Symbyx has several hand held light devices used for pain and inflammation relief throughout the body. It also has a harness type device called the Neuro that focuses treatment on the upper neck and back of the head (posterior part of the skull), an area rich in neural inputs into the brain stem and an essential component in the gut-brain axis. Its red light targets superficial mitochondria and blood vessels in the brain, while the longer infrared waves penetrate more deeply into the outer brain cortex, known as the grey matter.

The company is well known for its treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and claims general brain health benefits here. The Neuro has 20 red light LEDs and 20 infra-red light LEDs and recommends daily treatment of 24 minutes (12 min of red light and 12 of infra-red). The cost of the product is $1,100.

Bright Light Therapy

Bright light therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention that involves exposure to a bright light source to regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep-wake cycles. While it is not a cure for Alzheimer's disease, it has been studied as a potential supportive treatment for managing symptoms associated with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Alzheimer's patients often experience disruptions in their circadian rhythms, leading to sleep disturbances, confusion, and behavioral issues. Bright light therapy aims to reset the body's internal clock by exposing individuals to a bright light source, usually mimicking natural sunlight.

Bright light therapy is commonly delivered through a light box or lamp that emits a specific intensity of light, usually around 10,000 lux. The person sits or works near the light source without looking directly into it. Many light boxes are available on Amazon. The video below explains it all in just 2 minutes.

Helping Alzheimer's and Dementia -- Light Therapy Tip (2 min video - bright light therapy)

Gamma Rhythm Therapy

Gamma rhythms refer to neural oscillations in the frequency range of approximately 25 to 100 hertz (Hz) in the brain. These oscillations are associated with various cognitive functions, including perception, attention, memory, and consciousness.

Gamma rhythms are a type of brain wave activity, and their disruption has been observed in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Essentially, brain waves are out of rhythm. Per this article in Nature:

In patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), gamma rhythm response is delayed and its power is reduced compared with the cognitively healthy elderly. Recently, gamma rhythms entrained by photic stimulation using external light flickering at 40 Hz were found to reduce beta amyloid (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau in the brains of transgenic AD mice and to improve their cognition.2

The treatment to bring brain waves back into rhythm is to look at flickering light at a certain hertz.

Similar to my comment in the Neuronic section above, if gamma rhythm therapy can reduce beta amyloid and tau then why is 85% of the $3.5 billion annual AD research budget focused on drug therapies that do the same thing?

More information can be found below.

Alzheimers LED (1 min video - flickering light therapy)

Light-based therapy for Alzheimer's disease (4 min video - gamma rhythm flickering light)