Quantitative analysis of transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration in human cadaver brain tissue
Wausau, WI (May 4, 2015) – Research conducted by Clark E. Tedford, Scott DeLapp, Steven Jacques and Juanita Anders was selected as Editor’s Choice in the April 2015 issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM).
The manuscript titled, “Quantitative analysis of transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration in human cadaver brain tissue” was published in LSM, the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS).
The study investigated the use of photobiomodulation to treat injury and diseases of the brain. Using a Transcranial Laser System and human cadaver brains, the research team was able to gain a better understanding of light propagation through tissues including scalp, skull, meninges, and brain.
“Photobiomodulation, a form of light therapy, is now being recognized as a viable treatment for nervous system disorders”, said Juanita Anders, Ph.D. “Transcranial photobiomodulation is the non-invasive delivery of light to the brain for the treatment of brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, and mental illnesses. The data presented in this paper establish that near infrared wavelengths can penetrate the scalp and skull. Recognition of wavelength-dependent transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration is very important in establishing the potential use of light to treat the brain.”
Juanita J. Anders is a Professor of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of Maryland Medical School and specializes in peripheral and central nervous system injury and repair mechanisms and light tissue interactions. She is recognized as an expert in photobiomodulation and has been invited to speak and chair sessions at numerous international laser conferences. Dr. Anders serves on the Executive Councils and Scientific Advisory Boards of seven laser societies. She is the past president of the North American Association of Laser Therapy, a founding member of the International Academy of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and is the Immediate Past President of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. She serves on the Editorial Boards of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, Lasers in Medical Science, Physiotherapy Practice and Research and has published over 70 peer reviewed articles.
J. Stuart Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., editor in chief of the Lasers in Surgery and Medicine journal commented on the study, "In the paper presented by Anders et.al Quantitative Analysis of Transcranial and Intraparenchymal Light Penetration in Human Cadaver Brain Tissue, the authors present transcranial laser therapy as a non-invasive delivery of light to the brain for the treatment of brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, and mental illnesses. Recognition of wavelength-dependent transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration is very important in establishing the potential use of light to treat CNS disorders. The data presented in this paper establish that NIR wavelengths can penetrate the scalp and skull and thus be used to non-invasively treat brain tissue and demonstrate that certain wavelengths would not provide the transcranial depth of penetration to be effective.
Editor’s Choice is an exclusive article published in LSM, the official journal of the ASLMS. To view the complete manuscript, visit: aslms.org/professional/lsmeditorschoice
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS) is the largest multi-disciplinary professional organization, dedicated to the development and application of lasers and related technology for health care applications. The ASLMS promotes excellence in patient care by advancing biomedical application of lasers and other related technologies worldwide. Currently, ASLMS has over 4,000 members, including physicians and surgeons representing more than 51 specialties, physicists involved in product development, biomedical engineers, biologists, nurses, industry representatives and manufacturers. For more information, visit aslms.org.
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