日本专家发现，用蓝光照射大白鼠受损的脊髓神经细胞，可令促进细胞成长的蛋白质增加，进而加速受损部分恢复。
据日本共同社12日报道，名古屋市立大学教授冈嶋研二和副教授原田直明把10只脊髓受伤的大白鼠分成两组，其中一组每天接受波长470纳米的蓝光照射20分钟，坚持3周，另一组不接受任何治疗。
3周后，接受蓝光照射的一组实验鼠都恢复到能够行走的水平，而另外一组仍处于麻痹状态。
研究人员观察到，接受蓝光照射的实验鼠的神经细胞变得更大，神经细胞内促进细胞成长的蛋白质胰岛素样生长因子1（IGF－1）增加到原先的约1．7倍。
研究人员认为，胰岛素样生长因子1在蓝光刺激下增加，有助于抑制细胞死亡，促进干细胞的分化和新生细胞的成长。
这项成果有望应用于治疗运动麻痹及痴呆症等疾病。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
EFFECT OF BLUE LIGHT THERAPY ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND SERUM INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR I (IGF-I) LEVEL IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
R. Toriya1, H. Tanaka1, B. Yamagata1, K. Okajima2, H. Yamamoto1, H. Tomioka1, M. Mimura1
1Showa University, Neuropsychiatry, Tokyo, Japan, 2Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
Aims: It has been reported that white color light therapy is partially effective for improving circadian rhythm and behavioural problems in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, we investigated whether blue light therapy ameliorates cognitive functions in AD. Previous experiments demonstrated that blue light improves new learning in mice by stimulating sensory nerves and increasing the serum level of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). We previously documented that serum IGF-I level was lower in AD than healthy controls and that IGF-I level would be a predictor for responsiveness of donepezil. Accordingly, we hypothesized that blue light therapy would increase serum IGF-I level in AD patients, thereby enhancing their cognitive functions.
Methods: Six inpatients with AD participated in the study who matched the diagnostic criteria of NINCDS-ADRDA. The patients received on their back 1,000 lux blue light with 460 - 470 nm for 20 minutes every evening for two weeks. Serum IGF-I and IGF-BP3 levels, and cognitive functions as measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and AD Assessment Scale (ADAS-JCog) scores were explored twice; before and after the blue light therapy. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at Showa University School of Medicine.
Results: Two weeks' blue light therapy mildly improved cognitive function as indexed by MMSE and ADAS-JCog. In addition, serum IGF-I level of the participants increased following blue light therapy.
Conclusions: The results suggest that blue light therapy increases serum IGF-I level and improves cognitive functions in AD.
