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HealthQuiet 11d · day 14

Study links red-light therapy to reduced brain-injury markers in BYU football players

A season-long trial of photobiomodulation in 26 BYU players shows MRI changes suggesting the treatment may protect neurological health despite continued contact.

newest coverage 11d agosummary written 13d ago4 pieces RedditGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • A University of Utah-led study followed 26 BYU football players for a season, comparing active photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment to sham treatment.
  • MRI results reportedly showed substantial brain changes in the untreated/sham group not seen to the same extent in the treated group.
  • Researchers and outside experts call the findings promising but not conclusive, stressing that larger, definitive clinical trials have not yet been conducted.
  • The research grew out of former BYU linebacker Larry Carr's own diagnosis with brain damage in 2013 following a mental health crisis in 2010.

Larry Carr Former BYU linebacker, subject and advocateLaurie Carr Larry Carr's wifeElisabeth Wilde Co-director, TBI and Concussion Center, University of UtahPaolo Cassano Director of Photobiomodulation, Massachusetts General/Harvard Medical School

Study links red-light therapy to reduced brain-injury markers in BYU football players
nytimes.com

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 1 piece in 4h at Sep 11, 5 AM; 4 pieces over 14 days (1 article · 3 posts) Sep 11, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 11, 9 AM — quietSep 11, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 11, 5 PM — quietSep 11, 9 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 12, 1 AM — quietSep 12, 5 AM — quietSep 12, 9 AM — quietSep 12, 1 PM — quietSep 12, 5 PM — quietSep 12, 9 PM — quietSep 13, 1 AM — quietSep 13, 5 AM — quietSep 13, 9 AM — quietSep 13, 1 PM — quietSep 13, 5 PM — quietSep 13, 9 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — quietSep 14, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 14, 9 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — quietSep 14, 5 PM — quietSep 14, 9 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 5 AM — quietSep 15, 9 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 5 PM — quietSep 15, 9 PM — quietSep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — quietSep 16, 9 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 9 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 5 AM — quietSep 17, 9 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 9 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 9 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 9 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 9 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — quietSep 19, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 9 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 23, 1 AM — quietSep 23, 5 AM — quietSep 23, 9 AM — quietSep 23, 1 PM — quietSep 23, 5 PM — quietSep 23, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quiet 1–23
Sep 12Sep 13Sep 14Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22Sep 23now · 11:58 AM ET
  1. 3

    Slashdot picks up the study, commenters flag hype risk but note rigor

    A Slashdot post summarizing the coverage draws early commentary noting that red-light therapy claims often precede commercial hype, while acknowledging this particular study used randomization and sham controls over a full season.

    “It always starts with "promising results" and ends with somebody selling a $799 helmet on Instagram.”
    — Slashdot commenter
    • slashdot@mastodon.cloud

      Can Red-Light Therapy Treat Brain Injuries? https:// science.slashdot.org/story/26/ 09/11/2037218/can-red-light-therapy-treat-brain-injuries?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon

      slashdot@mastodon.cloudMastodon13d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. 2

    The Athletic/NYT details the research and Carr's role in it

    The Athletic (via The New York Times) publishes a detailed account of the study, Carr's personal history, and reactions from researchers, describing the results as 'striking' while noting definitive clinical trials have not yet been run and some in the field remain skeptical.

    “striking…”
    — Elisabeth Wilde, Ph.D
  3. 1

    University of Utah team publishes BYU red-light therapy study

    Researchers led by Elisabeth Wilde at the University of Utah's TBI and Concussion Center published results in the Journal of Neurotrauma from a study following 26 BYU football players through a season using intranasal transcranial photobiomodulation (itPBM), finding it could 'potentially safeguard neurological health without reduced playing time or contact exposure.'

    “It's a turning point in the field of photobiomodulation…”
    — Dr. Paolo Cassano
  4. background

    Carr is diagnosed with significant brain damage tied to football impacts — At age 60, doctors diagnosed Carr with significant brain damage following years of progressive emotional and cognitive decline, attributed to his history of repeated head impacts as a BYU middle linebacker in the 1970s.

  5. background

    Larry Carr reaches crisis point amid unexplained rage and depression — Former BYU linebacker Larry Carr, then experiencing sudden anger, paranoia and depression with no known cause, held a knife to his chest during a fight with his wife Laurie before she returned home.