Intranasal red light probe for treating alzheimer's disease

• US 8,734,498 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: DiMauro, Thomas M., Attawia, Mohamed, Lilienfeld, Sean, Holy, Chantal
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US12/822,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 607 88- 94
• US Class Current: 607/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0607 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 for treatment of body cavities

Abstract

A method of treating disease in which intranasal red light devices are used to shine red light upon the brain structures in the basal prefrontal cortex.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient having a basal prefrontal cortex, comprising the step of:

a) irradiating the basal prefrontal cortex with an effective amount of light in the near-infrared range,

wherein irradiation is carried out with between about 0.2 J/cm² and 50 J/cm² energy and for a duration on the order of minutes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the light irradiates an anterior portion of the basal prefrontal cortex.

3. A method of treating a patient having a basal prefrontal cortex, comprising the steps of:

inserting a red light probe having a red light emitter into an upper portion of a nasal cavity, and

orienting the red light emitter towards the cribriform plate, and

activating the emitter to irradiate the basal prefrontal cortex with an effective amount of light having a wavelength of between 600 nm and 1000 nm,

wherein irradiation is carried out with between about 0.2 J/cm² and 50 J/cm² energy and for a duration on the order of minutes.