Infrared helmet may ‘zap away dementia’, says study
A HELMET that zaps your brain with infrared light could help cure dementia. Wearing it for six minutes twice a day boosts memory, motor function and brain processing skills, a trial found.
The device, developed by researchers from Britain’s Durham University, was tested on healthy adults. But the scientists said that if the results were replicated in dementia sufferers it could be a ‘game-changer’ in the fight against the disease. The €8,500
helmet, devised by Dr Gordon Dougal, an English GP, works by photobiomodulation, where pulses of infrared light are directed deep into the brain.
The study saw 14 healthy people aged 45 and over wear the PBM-T helmet for six minutes twice a day for one month. A control group of 13 got a dummy helmet.
The researchers, whose study is published in the journal Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, noted a significant improvement in performance in motor function, memory and brain processing speed in those using the real helmet.
They said the ‘rapid improvement in memory performance’ suggests such treatment could be a ‘gamechanging therapy’ for people with dementia.
Further research will seek to establish if it could help reverse Alzheimer’s.
Tracy Sloan, 56, said wearing the helmet at home while watching TV significantly boosted her memory. ‘After a few weeks I noticed my sleeping pattern was better, I felt more relaxed and I had more energy,’ the administrator said.
Dr Dougal said the helmet ‘may well help dying brain cells regenerate into functioning units once again’.
Researchers hope the helmet could also be beneficial in treating other disorders such as Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury or motor neurone disease.