Alzheimer's helmet therapy hope (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

An experimental helmet is being tested by scientists as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

It delivers low levels of infra-red light, which researchers at the University of Sunderland, believe may stimulate the growth of brain cells.

Tests in mice showed it improved learning ability and a study in humans is due to begin in the summer.

Current treatments for Alzheimer's delay progression of the disease but cannot reverse memory loss.
***
In tests in people with dementia using infra-red lasers, eight out of nine people showed some improvement, said Dr Gordon Dougal, a GP and director of Virulite, a medical research company based in County Durham.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7208768.stm

[DS1]

1. I read about a drug that reverses the effects of this in minutes

Too good to be true? Maybe, but eventually it will be something we all take for granted.

[Celebration]

2. very, very interesting

I wonder if it is modulated into frequencies. Visible light would not be able to penetrate the tissue deeply enough, probably.

[Duer 157099]

3. OMG, this helmet is too cute!

But I really want to see the one they used on the mice! :rofl:

(I'm going to make one for myself... I especially love those computer fans)

Edit to add this abstract I found by this author, but not about this; but describes the wavelength he used for other studies, probably the same):

Clin Exp Dermatol. 2001 Mar;26(2):149-54.Click here to read Links

Erratum in:
Clin Exp Dermatol 2001 May;26(3):312.

A pilot study of treatment of herpes labialis with 1072 nm narrow waveband light.
Dougal G, Kelly P.

Occupational Health Department, North Tees Hospital, Stockton-on-Tees, UK.

A randomized prospective double-blind study was performed to compare the efficacy of a single 5 min 1072 nm narrow waveband light application against topical aciclovir applied five times daily in the treatment of herpes labialis. Treatment was initiated within 36 h of the onset of symptoms and the end point was defined as the day that the crust was discarded leaving an uninterrupted underlying skin at the site of the cold sore. The results demonstrated that a single 5 min light treatment significantly reduced cold sore healing time by 4 days; 1072 nm light healed cold sores in 4.3 +/- 1.8 days (mean +/- SD) as compared with aciclovir applied five times daily, 8.5 +/- 3.0 days (P < 0.0001).