Introduction
Short-term memory is necessary for daily functioning which is why short-term memory loss can be irritating, frustrating, and even debilitating. To its rescue, a new study published in the journal ‘Science Advances’ has shown that laser light therapy can potentially improve short-term or working memory in people by up to 25 percent. However, further research is planned to investigate various aspects of this study. Despite the promising results, larger rigorous studies on diverse populations are still required to investigate the effectiveness of laser light therapy in improving cognition.
What Is Short-Term Memory?
Short-term memory is the capacity to store little information in mind and keep it available for a short period of time. It is also known as active or primary memory. It is essential for daily functioning and is limited and very brief. Most of the information in short-term memory can be stored for about 20 to 30 minutes or even less. Some information can stay for a minute also, but most information decays quickly unless rehearsed or mentally repeated.
The information in short-term memory is highly susceptible to interference. Any new information added to short-term memory will quickly displace old information. Similar items can also interfere with short-term memory.
Short-term memory and working memory overlap and may even be the same thing. Working memory is the ability to use, apply or manipulate the memory for a period of time. In comparison, short-term memory is the temporary storage of information in memory. Short-term memory loss affects normal functioning, which is when someone cannot retain information or forgets the information they have received. People of all ages experience short-term working memory deficits to some extent, but these difficulties are pronounced in people with neurocognitive issues.
How Can Laser Therapy Improve Short-Term Memory?
Lasers are paving the way in all fields of medicine, and recently it has been shown that shooting laser light on the brain can improve short-term memory. Researchers across the globe have demonstrated that laser therapy, non-invasive therapy, can improve short-term memory by approximately 25 percent.
The study demonstrates a link between A procedure called transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) and short-term memory in humans. Transcranial photobiomodulation is a non-invasive light illumination method that delivers light to the human brain. This laser therapy is delivered to the right prefrontal cortex of the brain, a region widely recognized as important for short-term memory. Researchers suggest that the light in laser therapy stimulates the astrocytes (star-shaped glial cells in the brain) in the nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex, providing positive effects on cell efficiency. However, further research is needed to confirm it. The team conducting this study proved that short-term memory improved among participants after several minutes of therapy in their trial.
Previous studies have demonstrated that laser light treatment could improve short-term memory in an animal model. Still, recent human studies have shown that tPBM (transcranial photobiomodulation) treatment can improve accuracy, speed up reaction time, and improve functions such as attention and emotion.
How This Study Was Conducted?
Researchers conducted the trials on 90 female and male participants aged between 18 to 25 years. The participants were given laser light therapy to the right prefrontal cortex region of the brain at a wavelength of 1064 nm, while others were delivered a shorter wavelength or laser therapy to the left prefrontal cortex. To rule out the placebo (a treatment or substance designed to have no therapeutic value) effect, every participant was treated with a sham or inactive tPBM (transcranial photobiomodulation).
After 12 minutes of giving tPBM treatment, the participants were asked to remember the color or orientations of a set of items displayed on a screen. The participants treated with laser therapy at 1064 nm showed clear improvements in memory against those who received other treatments. The researchers analyzed data from EEG (electroencephalogram) monitoring during the experiment, which showed changes in brain activity predicting the improvements in the memory performance. It was also observed that there was an improvement in attention, concentration and focus on tasks, visual working memory, and motor execution in the participants treated with tPBM (transcranial photobiomodulation). The participants who received the target treatment could remember four to five test objects, while others could only remember three to four test objects. These results support the theory that 1064 nm tPBM on the right prefrontal cortex enhances working memory capacity.
Further research is required to know precisely the reasons for positive short-term memory results and how long the effects will last.
Who Can Benefit From This Therapy?
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other attention-related conditions can benefit from this treatment. People with ADHD do not have problems with long-term memory, but they have impaired short-term memory, according to researchers. This therapy can be a boon for such people. Research is going on to investigate tPBM (transcranial photobiomodulation) treatment to improve cognitive function and treat other conditions that affect the brain, such as Alzheimer’s, major depressive disorder (MDD), and traumatic brain injury. This treatment is simple, safe, non-invasive, and has no side effects.
To recommend this therapy for use in treating patients with short-term memory loss, more studies and extensive research is required to have additional observations based on evidence.
Conclusion
The cognitive benefits of laser therapy are an area of ongoing research. Researchers are interested in investigating how laser light therapy can affect the human brain in a positive way. If the findings of the study prove to be effective, then laser light therapy can eventually be used to improve short-term memory.
