
Trials begin for a new weapon against Parkinson’s: light - sohkamyung
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/trials-begin-new-weapon-against-parkinson-s-light
======
wombatmobile
I was a high care Parkinson's nurse for 5 years.

Whilst I'd love to see a viable treatment/cure for this devastating disease, I
don't think brain implants are a high potential research vector for what is a
cellular disease characterised by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) requires invasive, expensive surgery and doesn't
deliver consistent or lasting outcomes because candidate selection is
haphazard, and the procedure doesn't alter the disease trajectory. The
dopaminergic cells in the striatum continue to die.

I'm surprised to see this NIR trial proceed without a clear hypothesis for how
it might work. It sounds like the group is well funded, but even if NIR gets
similar results to electro DBS, it would only likely be a niche symptom
alleviator for those who can afford it.

I found this part of the article disturbing.

In 2017, together with research fellow Cécile Moro, they injected 20 macaques
with a neurotoxin known to cause Parkinson’s symptoms. In nine of them, they
also delivered NIR to the midbrain area through an implanted device.
Mitrofanis recalls how the first NIR-treated monkey behaved after a 3-week
recovery period: “He was moving around like there was nothing wrong. We looked
at each other and just hugged. … It was euphoric.”

~~~
rogerkirkness
NIR acts on the mitochondria. This is already proven along with movement
therapy in small studies. The price of NIR and red light fall with LEDs. So if
it works even a bit now, in 5 years when LEDs are much cheaper it will be the
first line.

~~~
wombatmobile
What is the cost of an LED?

What is the cost of neurosurgery?

------
themodelplumber
> The team will also look for clinical benefits. But because researchers grade
> Parkinson’s symptoms by observing patients performing specific tasks,
> assessments are largely subjective, and symptoms vary over time; everyone
> has good days and bad days, Sulzer says. Because the control group will not
> undergo surgery, it will be especially hard to rule out placebo effects.

> Yet Sulzer is giving studies like Benabid’s the benefit of the doubt. The
> absence of a clear mechanism isn’t a reason to dismiss the therapy, he says.
> “There are many things we don’t understand,” Sulzer says. “I am skeptical
> and also think it is an intriguing area of pursuit.”

That's a really difficult testing setup for sure, but Sulzer also demonstrates
a really reasonable and commendable stance toward the results and
interpretations--hope it works out.

~~~
rogerkirkness
N=1 but I got full body red light therapy (NIR and red light) and lingering
vision issues from a concussion went away. I didn't notice huge benefits
otherwise, just clearer skin, needed a bit less sleep, and much clearer
vision.

~~~
voisin
Where does one find this kind of therapy offered?

~~~
greenbush
Some spas or medical clinics offer red light therapy as a treatment. Or, you
can buy one for your home or DIY build your own, which are discussed at
[https://www.reddit.com/r/redlighttherapy/](https://www.reddit.com/r/redlighttherapy/)
.

------
1024core
> In 2017, together with research fellow Cécile Moro, they injected 20
> macaques with a neurotoxin known to cause Parkinson’s symptoms.

This just saddens me. Yes, the end result is helping humanity and saving human
lives; but we should really be spending some effort in eliminating the need to
torture other animals.

~~~
MaxBarraclough
> we should really be spending some effort in eliminating the need to torture
> other animals

Meaning what? The alternatives are to experiment on humans, to use
simulations, or to not do research at all. Experimenting on humans is out for
obvious reasons. Work is presumably already being done on simulation. Until
they're a practical alternative, I don't see an ethical problem using animal
testing when it's a disease as serious as Parkinson's.

~~~
srean
> I don't see an ethical problem

That "I" is the key. Different people have different standards. Mengele had no
qualms about using experiments on humans as long as they were Jewish. Many
find that troubling, some not at all and find it quite justified when there
are under-studied diseases that threaten a _superior race_.

The crux of your argument is that humans are a _superior species_ and entitled
to such luxuries because it can appropriate them.

[https://www.history.com/news/nazi-twin-experiments-
mengele-e...](https://www.history.com/news/nazi-twin-experiments-mengele-
eugenics)

Would some choose to die/suffer rather than benefit from such experiments --
yes absolutely. Would some choose to resign than layoff reports for cost
cutting -- yes absolutely. Would some grab tax funded benefits even when they
have protested boisterously against such schemes all their life -- yes
absolutely.

~~~
skohan
I think there is a very valid philosophical debate around the ethics of animal
testing. My first time traveling in the developing world one of the things
which struck me is how many sick and hungry dogs I saw on the streets. My
initial reaction was to take judgement: how could the people here let this
happen to these innocent creatures? But as I spent more time there, I came to
realize that there was so much human suffering there that spending my
compassion on an animal almost felt like a luxury.

I'm not saying I have the answer to this question, it's only an anecdote.

~~~
srean
My experience in some of the third world has been that of kindness towards the
strays. That people stuck in hard times with a hard life still feed them, have
drinking water out for them are acts of kindness. In fact I gauge a city's
heart by the treatment of the strays.

~~~
skohan
Judging a city's heart is a nice notion, but judging the material outcomes
might be a bit more constructive

~~~
srean
Agreed. Sometimes it takes a keen eye though. Presence of strays need not mean
they are not look after by the locals (in fairness, neither does it imply the
complement)

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peter_d_sherman
Seems interesting enough...

~~~
nojs
> if only people stepped out of their darkened homes and artificially lit
> offices for a few moments every day, and embraced all of that free, natural,
> nature-given sunlight...

The article is about implanting a device deep deep in the brain and delivering
light pulses, not people “stepping out of their darkened homes”. My uncle has
young onset PD and worked outside his entire life.

~~~
kwhitefoot
The article is also about trans-cranial stimulation with near infra red.
Sunlight is rich in near infra red so it sounds quite plausible that it might
have some effect if the article is correct about the LED helmet being
effective.

People interested in red light therapy have already discussed this, see
[https://redlightman.com/blog/red-light-therapy-vs-
sunlight/](https://redlightman.com/blog/red-light-therapy-vs-sunlight/) for
instance.

~~~
krageon
> Sunlight is rich in near infra red so it sounds quite plausible [...]

Yes, you are correct that it is possible to invent plausible-sounding fables.
It's perfectly okay to do so, but it's not germane in a discussion about
medicine.

