Method for treatment of depression
View Patent ↗A method for treating or preventing depression is disclosed. The method, in preferred embodiments includes therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The method, in a preferred embodiment, includes irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light energy having an efficacious power density and wavelength. The light energy should be sufficient to cause regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain and/or an upregulation of endogenous compounds in the brain, including neurotrophic factors, that result in neural growth, neurogenesis, and/or plasticity of neural function which leads to a diminishment or elimination of depression and its symptoms, and/or delays, reduces, or eliminates the onset of depression or depressive symptoms.
1. A method of treating or preventing depression, the method comprising:
non-invasively irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light energy having an efficacious power density and wavelength sufficient to cause a neurotrophic effect and/or regulation of neurotransmitters, wherein the light energy has a power density of at least about 5 mW/cm 2 at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the dura.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment causes a diminishment or elimination of depression and its symptoms.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light energy has a wavelength between about 630 nanometers to about 1064 nanometers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light energy has a wavelength between about 780 nanometers and about 840 nanometers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light energy has a power density between about 100 mW/cm 2 and about 10 W/cm 2 at the surface of the scalp.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering the light energy for at least one treatment period of at least about ten minutes.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering the light energy for at least one treatment period for at least about five minutes.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the light energy is pulsed during the treatment period.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the light energy is continuous during the treatment period.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the light energy is delivered in five or more treatment periods occurring over the course of at least one week.
11. A method of treating or preventing depression, the method comprising:
irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light energy having an efficacious power density and wavelength sufficient to cause a neurotrophic effect and/or regulation of neurotransmitters; and
delivering the light energy for five or more treatment periods occurring over the course of at least one week, each treatment period having a duration of at least about five minutes.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy has a power density of at least about 0.1 mW/cm 2 at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the dura.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy has a power density of at least about 10 mW/cm 2 at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the dura.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy has a wavelength between about 630 nanometers to about 1064 nanometers.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy has a wavelength between about 780 nanometers and about 840 nanometers.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy has a power density between about 10 mW/cm 2 and about 10 W/cm 2 at the surface of the scalp.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy is pulsed during the treatment period.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light energy is continuous during the treatment period.