Abstract
Objective: This study investigated whether patients with mild to moderately severe dementia or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) Baseline scores of 10–24 would improve when treated with near-infrared photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy. Background: Animal studies have presented the potential of PBM for AD. Dysregulation of the brain's default mode network (DMN) has been associated with AD, presenting the DMN as an identifiable target for PBM. Materials and methods: The study used 810 nm, 10 Hz pulsed, light-emitting diode devices combining transcranial plus intranasal PBM to treat the cortical nodes of the DMN (bilateral mesial prefrontal cortex, precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, angular gyrus, and hippocampus). Five patients with mild to moderately severe cognitive impairment were entered into 12 weeks of active treatment as well as a follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. Patients were assessed with the MMSE and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) tests. The protocol involved weekly, in-clinic use of a transcranial-intranasal PBM device; and daily at-home use of an intranasal-only device. Results: There was significant improvement after 12 weeks of PBM (MMSE, p < 0.003; ADAS-cog, p < 0.023). Increased function, better sleep, fewer angry outbursts, less anxiety, and wandering were reported post-PBM. There were no negative side effects. Precipitous declines were observed during the follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. This is the first completed PBM case series to report significant, cognitive improvement in mild to moderately severe dementia and possible AD cases. Conclusions: Results suggest that larger, controlled studies are warranted. PBM shows potential for home treatment of patients with dementia and AD.
Highlights
Declining memory, cognition, and quality of life (QoL) are symptoms associated with most forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Source Wavelength, nm Power output, mW Power density per light-emitting diodes (LEDs), mW/cm[2] Pulse frequency, Hz Pulse duty cycle, percentage Duration of each treatment session, minutes Beam spot size, cm[2] Energy delivered, Joules Energy density per LED, J/cm[2] Cumulative energy density per LED, per week during weeks 1 and 2, J/cm[2] Cumulative energy density per LED, per week during weeks 3 to 12, J/cm[2] Dose of each treatment session, Joules Cumulative dose per week during weeks 1 and 2, Joules Cumulative dose per week during weeks 3 to 12, Joules
A recent transcranial study with human cadaver brains has measured the penetration of near-infrared photons (808 nm) to a depth of 40 mm.[34]
Summary
Cognition, and quality of life (QoL) are symptoms associated with most forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with AD, adding a new case every 66 sec. 15.9 million families and friends provide 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care, with an estimated. In 2016, AD and other dementias will cost the US $236 billion. The annual number of new cases of Alzheimer’s and other dementias is projected to double by 2050.1 In 2015, an estimated 46.8 million people worldwide lived with dementia, with a projected cost of $1 trillion by 2018.2 The failure of numerous clinical trials with a Anita E.
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