Scientists Claim Infrared Helmet Could Reverse Alzheimer's Symptoms 201
penguin_dance writes "Ready to put on your thinking cap? There's a report out of the UK regarding an 'experimental helmet which scientists say could reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease within weeks of being used'. The helmet is to be worn for ten minutes every day and stimulates the growth of brain cells using infra-red light. The article explains, 'Low level infra-red red is thought to stimulate the growth of cells of all types of tissue and encourage their repair. It is able to penetrate the skin and even get through the skull.' Human trials are due to start this summer." I wont make any nomad-based predictions, but I'll remain on the skeptic side of the fence for now.
Foil, then bake. (Score:2, Informative)
Symptoms may be reversed in minutes--not weeks (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109091102.htm [sciencedaily.com]
From the article:
"An extraordinary new scientific study, which for the first time documents marked improvement in Alzheimer's disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule, has just been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.
"This new study highlights the importance of certain soluble proteins, called cytokines, in Alzheimer's disease. The study focuses on one of these cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF), a critical component of the brain's immune system. Normally, TNF finely regulates the transmission of neural impulses in the brain. The authors hypothesized that elevated levels of TNF in Alzheimer's disease interfere with this regulation. To reduce elevated TNF, the authors gave patients an injection of an anti-TNF therapeutic called etanercept. Excess TNF-alpha has been documented in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's.
"The new study documents a dramatic and unprecedented therapeutic effect in an Alzheimer's patient: improvement within minutes following delivery of perispinal etanercept, which is etanercept given by injection in the spine. Etanercept (trade name Enbrel) binds and inactivates excess TNF. Etanercept is FDA approved to treat a number of immune-mediated disorders and is used off label in the study."
Re:Sunlight? (Score:1, Informative)
In cell culture tests it can sometimes help cell growth, but I'm sceptical that it will do what they claim.
The difference between this and walking around in sunlight would presumably be the intensity of the specific radiation. It would be many more milliEinsteins than would be received outside from a non-specific source like sunlight.
Re:Skeptical and yet... (Score:3, Informative)
No, actually the lawsuit was NOT frivolous. It was actually an exercise in corporate comeuppance.
The woman, who was elderly and rather frail, originally asked McDonalds to reimburse her for her medical bills incurred for treating second degree burns. While it may be necessary to BREW coffee at 205 degrees, it is not necessary (or prudent) to keep it on the warmer at that temperature, which McDonalds was doing.
The woman only brought the suit after McDonalds refused her request to compensate her medical bills. Pissed off by McDonald's stonewalling, the jury awarded punitive damages of well over $2 million. This was later reduced to just under half a million.
The 81 year old woman suffered THIRD DEGREE BURNS because McDonald's kept their coffee 20 degrees hotter than most other restaurants. They were punished because they were irresponsible and arrogant. I remember when I used to buy coffee at McDonald's how hot their coffee was compared to other places I frequented. They deserved what they got.
According to Wikipedia:
Liebeck sought to settle with McDonald's for US $20,000 to cover her medical costs, which were $11,000, but the company offered only $800. When McDonald's refused to raise its offer, Liebeck retained Texas attorney Reed Morgan. Morgan filed suit in a New Mexico District Court accusing McDonald's of "gross negligence" for selling coffee that was "unreasonably dangerous" and "defectively manufactured." McDonald's refused Morgan's offer to settle for $90,000.[4]
Morgan offered to settle for $300,000, and a mediator suggested $225,000 just before trial, but McDonald's refused these final pre-trial attempts to settle.[4]
McDonald's refused to settle perhaps because, though there had been numerous lawsuits alleging that hot coffee was "defectively manufactured," courts had consistently dismissed the cases before trial on the grounds that coffee burns were an open and obvious danger.
This was also reported in the Wall Street Journal. See:
http://www.reedmorganpc.com/wsj_coffee.htm
Frivolous, my ass.
Fascinating Captain. (Score:3, Informative)
Never heard of this before. Too bad it's not true [stlawu.edu] and you are propagating another "urban myth" (although Polar Bears aren't especially urban).
Thanks for playing.
And now back to our regularly scheduled program.