Alzheimer’s – Red lights on the brain

Memory

The New Yorker has reviewed a non-fiction book written by the author of Still Alice.

Here’s the link.

It is a really interesting article, and definitely worth a read.

Exercise and sleep in Alzheimer’s

The previous blog looked at a journal article entitled: Effects of exercise on sleep in neurodegenerative disease, and focussed on its comments about sleep, exercise and Parkinson’s disease. This post looks at what the article has to say about exercise, sleep and Alzheimer’s disease.

Movement and Molecules

Below is an excellent article written by Gretchen Reynolds, first published in the New York Times and reprinted in The Age on 1 December 2020. Reynolds describes new research into the effect of movement on molecules in the blood and what that might mean for quality of life and length of life.

If you’ve ever thought that exercise of any degree or duration is over-rated, then this is the article for you: Link

Thanks to John Moeses Bauan from Unsplash for this gorgeous photo.

Mitochondria & Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease researchers have had to do a complete revision of thinking. For decades, the focus has been on getting rid of an abnormal protein, called amyloid, that plonks itself in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

It was a reasonable hypothesis. Amyloid and Alzheimer’s seem to go together, so it seemed logical that in getting rid of amyloid proteins, Alzheimer’s would be cured.

Billions of dollars later, and despite lots of trials with amyloid-chewing drugs, it seems that amyloid is not the culprit.

Q: So what is the culprit?
A: Lots of things, especially mitochondria, the batteries that power our cells.

It’s not a surprise that miserable mitochondria are heavily involved in Alzheimer’s. More and more evidence is showing that moping mitochondria appear in many different diseases. It seems that cell battery management is critical, which makes a lot of sense.

The number of articles linking Alzheimer’s and mitochondria are increasing, and the hope is to find pharmaceutical solutions. That’s good, but there is a solution already in place. And one without side effects.

Photobiomodulation acts on the cell mitochondria, the cell batteries, and boosts the cell activity, stimulates the cell nucleus to start making new cells, opens up the blood vessels and stimulates the blood vessels to sprout more branches. We know from research, case studies and observations of people with Alzheimer’s disease that red and near infrared transcranial lights used daily can improve memory, judgement, attention and concentration, mood, apathy, sleep quality, fatigue, not to mention increasing enjoyment of life.

It would be so good if some of those billions of dollars for Alzheimer’s research would include more work on photobiomodulation.

References:
1. Stojakovic, A., Trushin, S., Sheu, A. et al. Partial inhibition of mitochondrial complex I ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease pathology and cognition in APP/PS1 female mice. Commun Biol 4, 61 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01584-y Link.
2. Bell, Simon M.; Barnes, Katy; De Marco, Matteo; Shaw, Pamela J.; Ferraiuolo, Laura; Blackburn, Daniel J.; Venneri, Annalena; Mortiboys, Heather. 2021. “Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Biomarker of the Future?” Biomedicines 9, no. 1: 63. Link

Thanks to Mika Baumeister on Unsplash for the wonderful image of a battery.

Does hair matter?

I’ve had several people ask whether it would be better to fit or shave off their hair so that the transcranial light device can penetrate further into the brain tissue.

I am a great fan of head hair. It looks lovely, feels nice and most importantly, it keeps your head warm. The has a lot of blood vessels close the to surface of the skin and being bald means that a lot of heat can be lost through the head. Hair serves a useful biological function as well as being of aesthetic value.

I would not recommend removing your hair, unless you have so little hair that the removal of the last strands will make no difference. If this is the case, then why bother! Keep those gorgeous strands.

Some people find that their head hair starts to regrow. Where there had been a shiny, bald pate, fuzz has started to appear. A comb may be required. Those remaining gorgeous strands might just proliferate. Don’t argue!

If you have a lot of hair, then flaunt it and enjoy it. Don’t cut it off or shave it off. You will still get red and near infrared light onto your brain cells. Remember that photobiomodulation works by the indirect effect as well as the direct effect.

Thanks to Neil in the photo, showing off his facial hair as well as his fine coiffure.

Sleep

Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep is a very good read. He writes beautifully and with well-argued clarity.

Prof Walker gives very compelling evidence that sleep is not an optional human behaviour – that if we want to live well and live long, then ensuring a good night’s sleep (every night and without drugs) will make that more possible.