What is Parkinson’s?
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that impacts the central nervous system and affects 1 million people in the United States and 6 million worldwide. Brain cells develop a chemical called dopamine that integrates movement. For individuals with Parkinson’s disease, the brain has stopped producing this chemical. The symptoms of Parkinson’s are progressive and known for affecting movement, tremors, and stiffness of the muscles. While tremors are the most known indicator of Parkinson’s, there are additional symptoms that disrupt the daily lives of individuals who have this disease.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease Include:
Sleeping Disorders: It’s common for individuals with Parkinson’s disease to be diagnosed with sleep disorders, including circadian sleep disorders. Circadian sleep disorders are attributed to poorly regulated “sleep-wake cycles” caused by Parkinson’s. Abnormal dopamine levels also impact movement in Parkinson’s patients and the circadian sleep rhythm. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience explains that studies which show dopaminergic mechanisms can be involved with the brain areas’ that regulate the circadian levels. According to the Sleep Foundation, “Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock, running in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. One of the most important and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle.”
Cognitive Decline and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia: While many people are surprised to hear about the development of cognitive decline or dementia for individuals with Parkinson’s, it is a typical and likely progression for most patients. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests that 50-80 percent of patients experience dementia as their disease progresses. Some patients may only experience cognitive decline and struggle with attention, speed, and language, while others experience cognitive decline and dementia later on. Issues with memory and impaired judgment can substantially impact the quality of life for these individuals.
Depression: The diagnosis of Parkinson’s can create feelings of depression and anxiety. According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, depression and anxiety are also clinical symptoms along with tremors and stiffness of the muscles. The foundation also explains that 50% of all Parkinson’s patients report issues with depression and anxiety.
How can Prism Light Pod help?
Sleeping disturbances can be addressed by using red light therapy to improve the circadian rhythm. Dopamine levels are also believed to have a slight impact on cognitive changes. Finding medication to help regulate dopamine levels is few and far between due to the dopamine pill’s limited capability to break through the blood-brain barrier and a shorter time frame to help manage symptoms. Near-infrared light therapy can protect neurons that produce dopamine and potentially assist where medication cannot.
Using red light therapy to assist with sleep and cognitive issues can help improve the quality of life in patients that experience depression. Along with improving sleep and cognitive problems to assist with depression, research has shown that targeting inflammation and oxidative stress is an important factor in depression, Prism light Pod can help improve both of these areas.
Sleeping disorders, cognitive issues, depression and other symptoms prove that Parkinson’s is not just a disease of the brain but also affects the nervous system as a whole. With our near-infrared industrial grade LEDs, Prism Light Pod can penetrate at a mitochondria-level through photobiomodulation and help regenerate damaged nerves to help with symptoms and give patients a better quality of life. Better yet, through our six optimized and automated settings, you do not have to become a photobiomodulation expert.
References:
– Parkinson’s description– https://www.michaeljfox.org/symptoms?smcid=ag-a1b1R0000086fMw
– Sleep Foundation: “What is Circadian Rhythm?
Parkinson’s disease affects 1 million people in the United States and 6 million worldwide- https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101
– “Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience explains that studies show dopaminergic mechanisms can be involved with the brain areas’ that regulate the circadian levels.” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376559/
– While the diagnoses of Parkinson’s can create feelings of depression and anxiety, according to the Michael J. Fox foundation, depression and anxiety are a clinical symptom along with tremors, and stiffness of the muscles.https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/depression-anxiety?smcid=ag-a1b1R0000086fLP&gclid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNCpjRyvtj4QxH7HbFj9u9edvWiqdxxhvFAD15jOWai3vWUeY_9wMPRoC79QQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
– In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests that 50-80 percent of patients experience dementia as their disease progresses. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/parkinson-s-disease-dementia?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=google_grants&utm_content=types_of_dementia&gclid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNJHGHxPwaXbSjUMOJQloTI0P2Y7tjPM06zjpcRTi6GLyRSj0KoVPgBoCCKgQAvD_BwE
– Medication to help with these levels is a challenge due to dopamine pills having a limited capability to break through the blood-brain barrier. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4707222/
– having a limited time frame to help manage symptoms https://parkinsonsdisease.net/news/light-therapy-tool-managing-pd
– Near-Infrared Light Therapy can protect neurons that produce dopamine and potentially assist where medication cannot. https://parkinsonsdisease.net/news/light-therapy-tool-managing-pd
-Dopamine levels are also believed to have a slight impact on cognitive changes https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/non-movement-symptoms/cognitive?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr2FBhDbARIsACjwLo0nOwf9OMh2o_s31pwfvnWAmskSPYqe7jYUx3esC85BsBoxxIlcQHIaAnOzEALw_wcB&utm_source=google&utm_medium=adgrant&utm_campaign=&utm_term=
– Research has shown that targeting inflammation and oxidative stress can help improve depression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4777909/?tool=pmcentrez&report=abstract
– Sleeping disorders, cognitive issues, depression, along with other symptoms prove that Parksinson is not just a disease of the brain but it also affects the nervous system as a whole.
https://platinumtherapylights.com/blogs/news/red-light-therapy-parkinsons
– help regenerate damaged nerves to help assist with symptoms
https://platinumtherapylights.com/blogs/news/red-light-therapy-parkinsons
– Circadian sleep disorder:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22935723/
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12115-circadian-rhythm-disorders
