Entrepreneur and co-founder of Neuronic, Liam Pingree shares insights on brain health, high performance and business strategy.
In recent years, light therapy has become more widely adopted and shows promise for a new future in brain health. Light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM), involves the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to deliver light that can be absorbed by cells in the body. As the co-founder of a company that offers a light therapy device, I find this technology interesting not only for its FDA-approved purpose of pain management but also for its potential application for neurological conditions, particularly neurodegenerative conditions.
In recent months, we have seen the opening of a PBM Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital, light therapy devices being explored for the treatment of “long Covid” symptoms (full disclosure: my company’s device was used in this study), numerous success stories and people incorporating light therapy into their daily lives for optimal cognitive performance.
We have companies producing panels, belts, head devices and whole-body beds with both lasers and LEDs. Red light devices have now become part of some modern doctors’ toolboxes. Until recently, PBM was mainly available to clinics, hospitals and wealthy individuals, as the machines and equipment were expensive. However, now that LED technology is developing into a cheaper option, I’ve seen it become more accessible, and more research is being conducted on the therapy.
There are several trends in the industry emerging right now, and one of them is the use of red light therapy for skin care. We recently saw Dior and Lucibel launch a light therapy face mask. More companies and business leaders are developing light therapy products for various applications. For example, companies like NovoTHOR offer red light therapy beds for pain relief, circulation and other applications. Another trend we see is in brain health: My company has pioneered a device that enables researchers to customize the protocols of light therapy to further understand its effects.
What does the future look like?
It’s never been a more exciting time in the PBM industry than it is right now. I’ve seen rising amounts of research into the topic, numerous companies are developing different devices for all sorts of conditions and a range of applications are being explored.
The brain is an essential organ in our body and one we still don’t fully understand, so it’s important that entrepreneurs in this space find ways to protect it. The field of light therapy requires a collaborative effort to push for a further understanding of the effects and best applications. While research into PBM shows great promise, we need to make it replicable in a large significant trial so it’s more likely that a governing body will give it the stamp of approval for medical use. Products in the light therapy space need to be comparable and thus, companies should make specifications of their products available so it’s easy to compare studies and the settings used in the stimulation protocols.
One thing I can say for sure, however, is that the future does look bright.
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