Tasmanians with parkinson s disease have been experimenting with red and near infrared light treatment for the past few years after being inspired by the research work of the university of sydney.
Red light treatment for parkinson s.
Various animal models of parkinson s disease shown improved motor control and locomotor activity as measured by both mobility and velocity after near infrared is applied 10.
Recent research has indicated that there may be unexplored symptomatic benefits by using light therapy to treat parkinson s disease patients.
Near infrared light nir a low level laser or led light emitting diode is a new neuroprotective approach being tested in labs for use in treating parkinson s disease and numerous other diseases and conditions such as alzheimer s stroke and als.
Prof john mitrofanis research team are leaders in understanding the effect of red and near inrared light.
A progressive neurodegenerative disease the causes of parkinson s are not fully known.
In addition near infrared light treatment corrects the abnormal firing activity of neurons in deep subthalamic brain regions that occurs in parkinsonian conditions 22.
Retired tasmanian federal politician max burr is a sufferer of parkinson s who tried light therapy after reading a research paper published by the sydney university s professor john mitrofanis on the use of photobiomodulation the term used for light s ability to modulate key biological processes at a cellular level in animal.
It exposes you to low levels of red or near infrared light.
It tends to start later in life and while everyone knows about the tremor and difficulties moving it has many other symptoms that make life difficult.
Using infrared light therapy for parkinson s and alzheimer s for neurological conditions such as parkinson s and alzheimer s disease red or infrared light therapy applied to the head for 20 minutes per day appears to be optimal say researchers.
It is a repair oriented therapy aimed at stabilizing defective neurons.
Red and infrared light λ 600 1 070 nm therapy known also as photobiomodulation has been reported to offer neuroprotection and to improve locomotor behaviour in animal models of parkinson s disease from rodents to non human primates rojas and gonzalez lima 2011.
One study in 8 people with parkinson s showed that near infrared light therapy after 2 weeks may improve speech cognition and freezing when used as a non invasive therapy so using the light.