Red Light Treats PTSD By Upregulating Cytochrome C And Brain Oxygenation

haidut

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The US military has been pouring a lot of money into PTSD research, and especially non-chemical treatments. The official estimates, which are likely downsized due to political concerns, are that about 25% - 30% of combat veterans suffer from some stage of PTSD. The prescribed SSRI drugs are (obviously) woefully ineffective and a significant percentage of those veterans end up committing suicide as a result of the trauma (and probably due to the SSRI exposure as well).
This study shows that PTSD, like all other diseases, is energetic in origin and can be treated with red light exposure of the forehead. This specific study used LLLT but I have seen plenty of study showing regular red light from a bulb is just as effective. The main mechanisms of action for the beneficial effects of red light therapy is the increased levels and function of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome C oxidase, and the increased oxygenation of the hemoglobin in a person's blood caused by said red light. This immediately suggests methylene blue and T3 as alternative therapies to red light, as both have the same effects on cytochrome C and hemoglobin oxygenation, with methylene blue probably being more effective on the latter.

Prefrontal responses to Stroop tasks in subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder assessed by functional near infrared spectroscopy : Scientific Reports
Scientists could one day use near-infrared light to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder | PsyPost

"...After years of studying the effects of near-infrared light on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries, a team led by a University of Texas at Arlington bioengineer has published groundbreaking research in Nature’s Scientific Reports that could result in an effective, long-term treatment for brain disorders."

"...With the UT System’s support, Liu’s interdisciplinary collaborative team has not only investigated the brain imaging capability of light but also revealed the therapeutic rationale for potentially improving cognitive functions of patients with PTSD. The first paper resulting from the seed funding is published online and titled, “Interplay between up-regulation of cytochrome-c-oxidase and hemoglobin oxygenation induced by near-infrared laser.”

"...As in the first study, the team used a human forearm as a biological model instead of the human brain to avoid confounding factors due to such anatomical structures as the scalp and skull. The paper outlines their discovery that shining near-infrared light on the subject’s forearm increases production of cytochrome-c-oxydase, a protein inside the neurons that stimulates blood flow. This discovery shows great potential that NIR or infrared light also will work within the brain."

"...She has studied PTSD extensively with Smith-Osborne and Tian, and they have applied a portable brain-mapping device that allows them to “see” where memory fails student veterans with PTSD. That research led the team to connect with Gonzalez-Limam and further discovered that shining low-level light on the brain by placing the light source on the forehead can stimulate and energize neurons to function more effectively. When cells are stimulated with light, they remain stimulated for a lengthy period of time even after the light is removed. The approach differs from other therapies that use magnets or electric shocks and has the potential to yield effective, longer-lasting treatments."
 

Diokine

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Very cool. I've been using my 1watt 808nm laser probe on my forehead and temples and you can absolutely feel some kind of effect. Long term I'm not sure if I notice any trends, but I've been feeling pretty excellent lately so it is probably benefiting in some respects.
 

Tarmander

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Pretty cool study. Anyone else think its kind of weird that red light is so beneficial, and in very similar ways as methlyene blue? I remember in art class talking about the differences between light and pigments, and how they sometimes have opposite properties (all the pigments together make black, all the colors of light together make white). Blue light is stressful in some ways...would that point to red pigments in foods being stressful as well? Not very scientific but it reminds me of yin/yang/Taoism.
 

Diokine

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What is this...and where did you get it? My LLLT recently broke.


Playing With Lasers

I'm working on getting pre-commercial prototype going, was hoping to have something available by now but of course everything always takes longer than you'd like.
 

SB4

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Pretty cool study. Anyone else think its kind of weird that red light is so beneficial, and in very similar ways as methlyene blue? I remember in art class talking about the differences between light and pigments, and how they sometimes have opposite properties (all the pigments together make black, all the colors of light together make white). Blue light is stressful in some ways...would that point to red pigments in foods being stressful as well? Not very scientific but it reminds me of yin/yang/Taoism.
Methylene Blue reflects blue and absorbs red.
 

SB4

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Interesting thoughts @Tarmander and @SB4
If I understand Dr.Kruses line of thinking MB releases the red photon when it is taken up by cytochrome 1. The photon is then absorbed by the proteins/water at cyt 1 or sent down the ETC. This causes the beneficial effects that are similar to LLLT.

I am not familiar enough with the mechanics of all this to say with any certanty that that's its mechanism of action though.
 
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haidut

haidut

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If I understand Dr.Kruses line of thinking MB releases the red photon when it is taken up by cytochrome 1. The photon is then absorbed by the proteins/water at cyt 1 or sent down the ETC. This causes the beneficial effects that are similar to LLLT.

I am not familiar enough with the mechanics of all this to say with any certanty that that's its mechanism of action though.

Methylene blue also displaces NO that is bound to cytochrome C. When NO is present there the enzyme cannot carry electrons. MB also inhibits iNOS and scavenges free NO in the blood. Finally, MB is also an alternative electron carrier in case ETC1 and ETC2 are not working well for some reason, and MB can sometimes even function as a terminal electron acceptor in place of oxygen if the oxygen is missing due to hypoxia or lack of CO2 due to high lactic acid. Red light also inhibits iNOS but I don't think it can scavenge free NO and I don't know if it has effects on ETC1/2 and lactic acid. So, their effects overlap to a great degree but there are some complementary mechanisms, so ideally should be used together. That is the rationale behind the "photodynamic therapy" with MB. Google it, it is quite interesting.
 
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Sucrates

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I think some of the similarities are due to the effects on nitric oxide. (not sure if that's what people are getting at)

*Edit - beaten to the buzzer by haudit * :eek:
 

SB4

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.That is the rationale behind the photodynamic therapy with MB. Google it, it is quite interesting.
I use vielight after MB as hopefully it will have a complementary effect. Thing is vielight is 810nm and the absorption seems to be 600-700nm for MB. Am I right in thinking the 810nm will be reduced to 600-700nm by proteins in the blood?

Also what doses are people using, I cant go above one drop thanks to POTS/CFS.
 
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I use vielight after MB as hopefully it will have a complementary effect. Thing is vielight is 810nm and the absorption seems to be 600-700nm for MB. Am I right in thinking the 810nm will be reduced to 600-700nm by proteins in the blood?

Also what doses are people using, I cant go above one drop thanks to POTS/CFS.

There are two models. Is this the infrared or the red light?
 

Amazoniac

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- Multiple Roles of Cytochrome c Oxidase in Mammalian Cells Under Action of Red and IR-A Radiation ("peak")

The peak adsorbance of this respiratory enzyme is not on the red-infrared range, it's in the fact on the violet/blue range (search for it elsewhere too). The problem is that it's barred at the upper layer of the skin, but given that it's a major endocrine organ with a lot of surface exposed, perhaps sunbathing can has an overlook'd impact here.

Ramón has warned that clear heat lamps are preferable to those that have the red coating, as seen in Jorgito's latest hella of an interview (ofred, 2019). For humans, this colored film can affect the shorter-length peak (620 nm):
Kuinone - Liquid Vitamin K2 (MK-4) (514-648 nm: 3/4 of the space between them is 615 nm).
 
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Amazoniac

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The orange spectrum is from 590 to 625 nm. Red tint might compromise it to a certain extent depending on various factors.

- Exo Terra : Infrared Basking Spot

"The bulb emits infrared heat waves and is a typical heating lamp. The spot lamp has a special build-in reflector to direct the heat in any direction required. The red glass transmits Infrared waves produced by the special filament of the bulb."

For a better quality image, it's the last result for 'infrared basking spot' in the attach'd document.​
 

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Mito

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The main mechanisms of action for the beneficial effects of red light therapy is the increased levels and function of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome C oxidase, and the increased oxygenation of the hemoglobin in a person's blood caused by said red light. This immediately suggests methylene blue and T3 as alternative therapies to red light, as both have the same effects on cytochrome C and hemoglobin oxygenation, with methylene blue probably being more effective on the latter.
Does a pulse oximeter give a good indication of hemoglobin oxygenation?
 

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