Available evidence supports intranasal light therapy for brain-related conditions such as mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s Disease, migraine, stroke. However, the present set of parameters have been based on optimising the results for blood irradiation; which may be holding back its potential for better neurological outcomes. We analysed the literature to arrive at reference parameters for optimum brain stimulation with low-level light. MedicLights then developed intranasal light therapy devices based on these parameters,  which we then used to develop case reports with a growing group of subjects for neurological outcomes, which include those already using legacy intranasal light therapy devices. Studies lead us to select parameters that involve low-level light in the near-infrared red (NIR) range that pulses at 10 Hz to draw a superior neural response.  More specifically, the parameters could include a wavelength of 810 nm from a LED source, supported by a power density of 10 mW/cm², over daily treatment session of 25 minutes, and a duty cycle of 50 %. The LED beam footprint spans the underside of the brain, including the mid-brain area. With these specifications, the energy is 7.5 J/cm² (net of duty cycle) per session. Users reported improved neurological outcomes, although the results are more mixed (but without adverse effects) from those without prior medical conditions. The findings suggest that intranasal light therapy is promising as a brain stimulation method to be validated with more specific and rigorous clinical studies.

Available evidence supports intranasal light therapy for brain-related conditions such as insomnia, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, migraine and stroke. However, the present set of parameters have been based on optimising the results for blood irradiation; which may be holding back its potential for better neurological outcomes. Further analyses of available studies on the effect of photo-neurostimulation and observations suggest that a new approach would point to a new set of parameters that would draw greater brain stimulation.

Existing evidence of brain stimulation based on intranasal light therapy

The evidence in this section are selected based specifically on low-level light irradiation treatments through the intranasal (via the nasal cavity) pathway,

Insomnia

In China, intranasal light therapy with a low-level laser has been used to treat insomnia. Wang et al (2006) treated  50 patients with insomnia with a low-level laser at 650 nm, powered with 3 mW for 60 minutes per each session per day, over 10 – 14 days. They found that the symptoms improved significantly for 82% of the patients.1

Mild cognitive impairment

Jin L et al (2001) randomly divided 93 patients with cerebral infarction into three groups, 30 in a drugs- only group (A Group), 32 in intranasal low-level laser therapy  + drugs group (B Group) and 31 in an intravascular low energy laser therapy + drugs group (C Group), and then treated  B Group with low-level laser at 670 nm and 7 -10 mW for 40 min each time and C Group with He-Ne (632.8 nm) laser at 1.5 mW for 90 min each time, once daily for ten days. They found a decrease in the peak latency potential of the P300 waveform, and greater erythrocyte deformity after the treatment in either B or C Groups than A Group.2

Alzheimer’s disease

Xu C  et al (2002) divided the objects into two groups, 47 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and 22 patients with gastric ulcer, and treated the patients with intranasal low-level laser therapy with He-Ne source at 3.5 – 4.5 mW for 30 minutes each time, which was done once every morning for 30 days. They found that melatonin, score in mini-mental state exam (MMSE) and score in Wechsler memory scale for adult (WMS) increased in the AD group, but there was no significant change for the gastric ulcer group.3

Parkinson’s disease

Li Q et al (1998) treated  43 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with intranasal low-level He-Ne laser therapy at 3.5 – 5.5 mW for 30 minutes per treatment session per day for ten days and found serum cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8 – which high levels have a deleterious effect on cognitive ability in PD)4 decreased to normal levels. When referencing to Webster Scale scores (WSS), they found the improvements to be significant for 26 of the 43 patients. 5 Xu C et al. (2003), treated  47 patients with PD with intranasal low-level He-Ne laser therapy at 3.5 to 4.5 mW for 30 minutes per session, every morning for 20 days, and found the PD symptoms improved for 31 (66%) of the patients. Out of these, 14 (29.8%) were significant while 27 (57.4%) were mild. Presence of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and melatonin increased and malondialdehyde (MDA – a marker for oxidative stress) decreased. Zhao G et al. (2003) treated  36 patients with PD with intranasal low level He-Ne laser therapy at 3.5 – 5.5 mW for 30 minutes per session per day for ten days, and found improvements in PD symptoms for 31 (89.1%) of the patients; out of whom 10 (27.8%) of them were significant and 21 (58.35) mild.

Schizophrenia

Liao Z et al. (2000) randomly divided 80 patients with schizophrenia into two groups, 40 in a drugs-only group (A Group) and 40 in intranasal low-level He-Ne laser therapy +drugs group (B Group). The B group was treated with an energy of 2 mW for 60 minutes per session per day for ten days. They found that significant improvement was achieved more quickly with the B Group – on the 18th day versus the 26th day for the A Group.8

Migraine and headaches

Li Q et al. (1998) treated  39 patients with chronic headache, migraine and trigeminal neuralgia with intranasal low level He-Ne laser therapy at 3.5 – 4.5 mW for 30 minutes per session per day over two 5- day sessions with a 2-day break in between. They found improvements in 35 (89.8%) of the patients, out of whom 26(66.7%) were significant. The blood β endorphin in the blood of the 35 improved patients were also found to have increased.9 10

Stroke (cerebral infarction)

Qiao Y et al (2004) treated  68 patients with cerebral infarction with intranasal low-level He-Ne laser therapy at 10 – 15 mW for 60 minutes per session per day over 10 days. The more severe cases had 3 sessions per day. They found improvements in 61 (89.7%) of the cases, out of which 34 (50.0%) were significant. Xiao X et al. (2005) treated  21 patients with cerebral infarction by intranasal low-level laser therapy with 650 nM wavelength at 3.5 – 4.0 mW energy for 30 minutes. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in brain perfusion imaging indicated that the ratio of local regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) vs whole brain rCBF and brain blood flow function change rate (BFCR%) increased on the treated side of the brain, and there was no change in the mirrored regions. Dou Z et al. (2003) treated  50 patients with cerebral infarction or traumatic brain injury with intranasal low-level He-Ne laser therapy group  The devices were powered at 2.4 mW for 30 minutes per session over 10 days with a 2-day break-in after the first 5 days. Fugl Meyer movement scale and Barthel index scores were significantly increased and the brain-damaged area was reduced. Jin L et al. (2001) randomly divided patients with cerebral infarction into a group with 30 patients that are treated with drugs only and 32 patients in another group that was treated with drugs plus low-level laser intranasal light therapy.   The laser used had a wavelength of 670 nm powered with 7 – 10 mW over 40 minutes per session per day over 10 days. The group with the intranasal device saw the peak latency potential of the P300 waveform decreased at a higher level than the drugs-only group.

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