Alzheimer's disease and related dementia have an immense emotional and economic cost, which creates an urgency to find effective treatments. Bright light therapy is used as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It also showed promise in the treatment of various conditions, from bipolar depression to circadian phase sleep disorders. Notably, the application of bright light therapy in the morning has emerged as a beacon of hope for individuals with dementia, offering a potential solution to their disrupted sleep patterns. By entraining the circadian rhythm, this therapy promises to restore a healthy sleep-wake cycle, a significant step in managing neurodegenerative diseases.
Randomized controlled trials have shown that light therapy can significantly improve sleep efficiency and stability in patients with Alzheimer's and dementia. Additionally, it can alleviate depression and reduce agitation. More importantly, near-infrared (NIR) light exposure has been found to have neuroprotective effects, such as reducing β-amyloid-stimulated microglial toxicity. This suggests that NIR light improves cognitive function and daily activities and protects neurons from progressive damage.
One of the most intriguing applications of light therapy involves using strobe lights flickering at specific frequencies to enhance gamma wave activity in the brain. This mechanism, like rocking a stuck car back and forth, rhythmically stimulates neural circuits at gamma wave frequencies, strengthening their synchronization. This stimulation also activates immune cells that help clear amyloid plaques, a key pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. For instance, exposure to 40-hertz light flashes has been shown to reduce amyloid buildup in the visual cortex. Similarly, auditory stimulation at the same frequency diminishes amyloid protein accumulation in the auditory cortex. These effects initiate intercellular processes, including gene expression changes, reinforcing synaptic connections, and promoting cognitive resilience.
Although further studies are needed, light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that works without inducing aggressive chemical changes in the brain.
The book Emotional Reasoning: Insight into the Conscious Experience is published on August 30, 2024.
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