Low Level Laser Therapy Impact on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Alzheimer Anemic Elderly Patients

Alzheimer's disease is the commonest cause of dementia and describes a clinical syndrome made up of three domains. First, a neuro-psychological domain encompassing those deficits of cognitive function such as amnesia (memory loss), aphasia (language disturbance), apraxia (the inability to carry out motor tasks despite intact motor functions) and agnosia (the inability to recognize people or objects despite intact sensory functions). Second, a group of psychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances, which have been termed neuro-psychiatric features, non-cognitive phenomena, or behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia Alzheimer's disease is substantially increased among people aged 65 years or more, with a progressive decline in memory, thinking, language and learning capacity. Alzheimer's disease should be differentiated from normal age-related decline in cognitive function, which is more gradual and associated with less disability. Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, and dyslipidemia have all been found to increase risk as well a history of brain trauma, cerebrovascular disease, and vasculopathies.

Dementia affects approximately 5%-8% of individuals over age 65, 15%- 20% of individuals over age 75, and 25%-50% of individuals over age 85. Alzheimer disease is the most common dementia, accounting for 50%-75% of the total, with a greater proportion in the higher age ranges Dementia is expensive. The financial costs of managing Alzheimer's disease are enormous. The cost of illness is high in terms of both public and private resources. Families and caregivers who are required to provide care and patients affected by dementia also pay a high price in terms of their quality of life The primary goals of treatment are to maximize the patient's ability to function in daily life, maintain quality of life, slow the progression of symptoms, and treat depression or disruptive behaviors Low level laser therapy is a safe, non-invasive, and non-thermal modality that is based on a strong body of research dating back to the 1960.It involved in treating several conditions, the mechanisms of action involve the stimulation of mitochondria by the absorption of photons in cytochrome c oxidase, resulting in increased adenosine triphosphate production, reduced oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory effects, and increased focal cerebral blood flow

Inclusion criteria

• Sixty elderly patients aged from 65-75 y
• Body mass index (BMI) ranged from 30 to 34.9 kg/m2
• Mild cognitive dysfunction (Montreal cognitive assessment scores from 19-25
• Anemic
• The time between their diagnoses and participation in the study ranged from 6 months to 2 years

Exclusion criteria

• Moderate to severe cognitive impairment
• History of neurological disease ,stroke or Cardiovascular disease
• History of nasal bleeding or fracture
• Known photo-sensitivity disorder
• Current active cancer or within one year of cancer treatment or remission
• Serious mental health illness that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude the subject from study participation
• Active infection, wound or other external trauma to the target area to receive the laser therapy
• Participation in a clinical study or other type of research in the past 30 days