Light Therapy Helps Clear Toxic Alzheimer's Protein from the Brain

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Light Therapy Helps Clear Toxic Alzheimer’s Protein from the Brain

A new study has found that exposing the brain to light therapy during deep sleep in mice enhances its ability to clear β-amyloid protein, a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

This discovery may pave the way for a non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive treatment.

Light Therapy Helps Clear Toxic Alzheimer's Protein from the Brain

Despite relentless efforts by researchers, the development of a safe and effective drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains elusive, prompting a shift towards non-pharmaceutical approaches. A recent study has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation therapy (PBM), also known as light therapy, in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers achieved promising results in mice and hope to translate these findings to humans.

In this study, researchers employed photobiomodulation therapy (PBM), a non-pharmaceutical approach that utilizes red and near-infrared light to stimulate the body’s self-healing capabilities. Evidence suggests that PBM not only reverses oxidative stress and inflammation but also promotes brain metabolism and microcirculation. Recent research has shown that PBM can stimulate the brain’s lymphatic system to clear waste and toxins.

The brain is covered and protected by a thin membrane called the meninges, which houses a lymphatic system. These meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) have been proven to clear β-amyloid protein, a protein long associated with Alzheimer’s disease. It is believed that the abnormal accumulation of this naturally occurring protein forms plaques that disrupt cellular function.

Light Therapy Helps Clear Toxic Alzheimer's Protein from the Brain

As the brain’s lymphatic system is activated during sleep, researchers tested the effects of PBM during wakefulness and non-rapid eye movement (deep) sleep. They laser-ablated the MLVs in mice and then injected β-amyloid protein into the mice’s hippocampus, a region in the brain associated with memory and learning. The mice underwent PBM treatment using light-emitting diodes for seven days, once daily.

Researchers found that regardless of whether PBM was used during wakefulness or sleep, the levels of β-amyloid protein in the hippocampus were reduced. However, the reduction was more pronounced when PBM was administered during sleep compared to wakefulness. Their conclusion was that PBM during sleep is more effective at stimulating the removal of β-amyloid protein from the hippocampus than in the awake state.

Light Therapy Helps Clear Toxic Alzheimer's Protein from the Brain

Researchers also observed that, despite the damage to MLVs, their ability to clear β-amyloid protein was restored after treatment, with greater effectiveness during sleep when using PBM.

“In our findings, we found that PBM can promote the recovery of lymphatic function after MLV damage and is more effective when used during deep sleep compared to wakefulness,” the researchers stated.

They suggest that this non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive treatment approach could be used for patients with attention deficit disorders and other brain diseases involving the lymphatic system. Since drug treatments for AD have failed to demonstrate effectiveness or safety, PBM offers hope as a non-invasive, safe method for treating brain disorders associated with lymphatic system impairments, such as AD, Parkinson’s disease, gliomas, traumatic brain injuries, intracranial hemorrhages, and more.

The study has been published in the journal “Frontiers in Optoelectronics.”