Phototherapy of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mechanism, Application, and Prospect

Neurodegenerative diseases are a heterogeneous group of irreversible illnesses caused by the progressive loss of neuronal structure or function, leading to cognitive and movement disorders, without safe and effective treatments. Exploring the application potential of non-invasive physical therapy for neurodegenerative diseases is of great significance for disease remission and effective control. Phototherapy is a method that uses the interaction of light and tissue to treat diseases and promote the rehabilitation of the body through photochemical or photophysical reactions, with precise and minimally invasive features. Low-light therapy is a type of non-invasive phototherapy that is used in promoting wound healing, pain relief, inflammation regression, and tissue regeneration. Clinical studies have also confirmed that low-light therapy can effectively improve the pathological symptoms of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, as a non-invasive physical therapy, low-light therapy provides a promising new direction for the relief and effective control of neurodegenerative diseases. This article summarizes the research progress of low-light therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and prospects its application in conjunction with the development of optoelectronic technology. It is suggested that the mechanism and dose effect relationship of low light should be clarified, new low-light treatment technology should be developed, and the clinical verification system and evaluation index should be improved, so as to benefit patients and serve the society as soon as possible.