Infrared light therapy

sunshine5

Latest news shows that this therapy helps with Dementia. Cost is very high- $9000. Improvement in memory has been shown after using this therapy.

Any one tried this? 

Would Medicare cover infrared therapy cost for mild dementia?

loveskitties

The study I found said they only had 27 test subjects.  That is hardly a clinical trial.  It was also only tested on subjects who had mild cognitive impairment.

I can't imagine Medicare paying for this unless it were a firmly proven, repeatable and reliable therapy.

Might be worth watching but doesn't sound like it would be widely available any time soon.

RobertsBrown

I can't really think of anything more cruel than dangling false hope in front of my face on a day like today.  Why not just come over here and shoot my dog?

RobertsBrown

sandwichone123

I think if light therapy was going to be effective, you'd see distinct geographical patterns for dementia (lower rates in sunnier areas) and I haven't heard of that.

Ed1937

Looking at light therapy is not really a new thing. It's been around for a while, but if it were that good, I'd expect we'd hear much more about it. That doesn't mean it's not good, just not proven.

Marta

Sunshine:  I see that you are still looking for any therapy that might help your loved one. Please do not get sucked into any of the bogus therapies out there, whose only effect is to drain your pocketbook. 

If/when there is a true breakthrough in dementia care, you’ll hear about it on the national news.  

sunshine5

Thanks Marta. Yes, I am trying any non medicines treatment- coconut oil, mct oil, aromatherapy music, Cognitive vitamins, u name it. Next step - exelon patch. If light therapy was available & paid by Medicare, would try that. Medicines always have side effects!

Thanks for the tip !

Lane Simonian

If there is a breakthrough therapy for Alzheimer's disease that makes it through phase 3 clinical trials we will hear about it on the national news.  Otherwise, very few people will hear about it.

All of the most promising treatments for Alzheimer's disease do one thing: they reduce and partially reverse oxidative stress.

One of the best is panax ginseng/Korean red ginseng (although in some people panax ginseng can cause jiterriness and potentially raise blood pressure).  

Panax ginseng contains three components that can help reduce oxidative stress: saponins, polysaccharides, and a variety of polyphenols (certain essential oils via aromatherapy also have high polyphenol content).

Saponins, an important group of bioactive plant natural products, are glycosides of triterpenoid or steroidal aglycones. Their diverse biological activities are ascribed to their different structures. Saponins have long been recognized as key ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine. Accumulated evidence suggests that saponins have significant neuroprotective effects on attenuation of central nervous system disorders, such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the observed effects remains incomplete. Based on recently reported data from basic and clinical studies, this review highlights the proposed mechanisms of their neuroprotective function including antioxidant, modulation of neurotransmitters, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation, attenuating Ca(2+) influx, modulating neurotrophic factors, inhibiting tau phosphorylation, and regeneration of neural networks.

Histological analysis indicated that NFP [non-saponin fraction with rich polysaccharide] significantly alleviated the accumulation of Aβ [amyloid beta], neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the subiculum of 5XFAD mouse model of AD. In addition, NFP treatment ameliorated mitochondrial deficits in Aβ-treated HT22 cells. Moreover, NFP treatment significantly increased the AHN [adult hippocampus neurogenesis] and neuritogenesis of neural stem cells in both healthy and AD brains. Furthermore, NFP significantly increased cell proliferation in the HT22 cells. Finally, NFP administration significantly enhanced and restored the cognitive function of healthy and AD mice, respectively. Taken together, NFP treatment demonstrated changes in proteins involved in central nervous system organization/maintenance in aged brain and ameliorates AD pathology. Collectively, our findings suggest that NFP from KRG could be a potential therapeutic candidate for aging and AD treatments.

To ascertain the principal active peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) scavenging components of heat-processed Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer [steamed at higher temperatures] (sun ginseng [SG]), the ONOO(-) scavenging activities of fractions and components of SG were compared. The results demonstrated that the ONOO(-) scavenging ability of SG was due to its ether fraction containing phenolic compounds. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis and ONOO(-) scavenging activity tests of the phenolic acids contained in SG identified vanillic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, syringic acid, and maltol as the main active ONOO(-) scavenging components of SG. The ONOO(-) scavenging activities of phenolic acids and maltol were dependent on the degrees of their proton donating ability.

The following results you will never hear about on the national news:

Heat-processed ginseng enhances the cognitive function in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease

Results: The treatment groups showed significant improvement on the MMSE and ADAS. Patients with higher dose group (4.5 g/day) showed improvements in ADAS cognitive, ADAS non-cognitive, and MMSE score as early as at 12 weeks, which sustained for 24-week follow-up.

Improvement of Cognitive Deficit in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients by Long Term Treatment with Korean Red Ginseng

A 24-week randomized open-label study with Korean red ginseng (KRG) showed cognitive benefits in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. To further determine long-term effect of KRG, the subjects were recruited to be followed up to 2 yr. Cognitive function was evaluated every 12 wk using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) and the Korean version of the Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) with the maintaining dose of 4.5 g or 9.0 g KRG per d. At 24 wk, there had been a significant improvement in KRG-treated groups. In the long-term evaluation of the efficacy of KRG after 24 wk, the improved MMSE score remained without significant decline at the 48th and 96th wk. ADAS-cog showed similar findings. Maximum improvement was found around week 24. In conclusion, the effect of KRG on cognitive functions was sustained for 2 yr follow-up, indicating feasible efficacies of long-term follow-up for Alzheimer’s disease.

The answers on how to effectively treat Alzheimer's disease are there, they are just not where most people are looking.

Cherjer

Lane,,,just curious where you get the ginseng and have you talked to doctors about this?

Lane Simonian

I have not talked to doctors about it, other than to mention it when they ask what medications that I am taking. I take it for immune support, to reduce the risk of blood clotting, and to help with word choice problems.  

Panax ginseng is found in many stores that sell health supplements.  Heat processed ginseng is much harder to find and more expensive to buy.  There are a few suppliers in the United States.

I just saw that the brand I buy (SOLARAY) also contains rice bran extract.  This may potentially provide an extra benefit.

Rice bran, an off-shoot to newer therapeutics in neurological disorders

Numerous elements of rice fibers in rice bran are characterized as natural anti-oxidant and having potential anti-inflammatory activity. The rice bran captures interest among the researchers as it is widespread, affordable, and rich in nutrients including protein, fat, carbohydrates, bioactive components, and dietary fiber. This review covers the neuroprotective multiplicity of rice bran and its constituents to deter pathological conditions of the brain and to facilitate balanced brain functioning at the same time.