At 65, I'm Trying to Upgrade My Brain with Light

[00:07] technologies can actually cross the blood-brain barrier and support cognitive longevity? Photobiomodulation uses light therapy to stimulate cellular function and is becoming a central tool for individuals

[00:21] looking to maintain brain health as they age. Today, I am starting a structured 3-month self-experiment to evaluate this technology at home using a dedicated transcranial photobiomodulation device

[00:35] called the Neuronic Light. As a disclaimer, I was sent the device by Neuronic and I am an affiliate of the company. However, they are not paying me to make this video and have had no input into the content.

[00:48] I'm not going to do a review of the device in detail in this video. I will do that later in the trial after I've been using it for a while. Here is the device. So, briefly, it's a helmet that can be

[01:01] powered by a battery pack or wall plug-in. It's controlled by an app on your phone, which lets you run either predefined or custom programs. It delivers near-infrared light at a wavelength of 1070 nanometers from these

[01:15] One of the things that I found a little dis- disconcerting is that even when it's on, there is no visible light as it's all in the near-infrared. Over the next 12 weeks, I will track whether this daily light habit produces

[01:30] a measurable improvement in mental clarity, daytime focus, overall cognitive performance, and sleep quality. But why am I doing this experiment? So, we have talked to a couple of people

[01:43] about red light therapy and Dr. Po Chazoo specifically about the possibility it can raise energy levels in the brain. The human skull is a significant barrier to most wavelengths of light, meaning

[01:56] that typical red or near infrared devices cannot reach the brain. The Neuronic Light Helmet uses 1070 nanometer wavelength specifically because this window of near infrared light penetrates deeper into human bone

[02:10] and tissue than shorter wavelengths, allowing it to reach the cortical The helmet delivers this light across a wide surface area of 670 square centimeters, which helps to ensure that total consistent energy reaches the

[02:26] brain during a session. When this near infrared light reaches the brain tissue, it initiates a series of distinct cellular mechanisms. The light photons are absorbed by an enzyme inside our mitochondria called

[02:41] cytochrome c oxidase, which supports the electron transport chain. This absorption upregulates the production of ATP, which is the primary currency of cellular energy. Alongside this increase in ATP

[02:55] production, the process triggers the transient release of nitric oxide. This release dilates local blood vessels, which improves regional blood flow, enhances oxygen availability to neurons, and helps regulate local

[03:10] inflammatory pathways. To see if these cellular mechanisms translate into real-world benefits, I've established a strict testing protocol. The trial will run for a total of 12 weeks, and I will perform formal

[03:24] objective testing at three distinct milestones: baseline, 2 months, and 3 months. My daily routine consists of two distinct sessions 6 days a week with 1 day off per week.

[03:37] In the morning, I will run two consecutive programs back to back. This will start with the Glow protocol, which lasts for 10 minutes at 100% intensity with a continuous non-pulsed wave to

[03:50] support general cellular wellness. Immediately following that, I will run the focus protocol, which lasts for 6 minutes at 70% intensity and utilizes a 40 Hz pulse frequency to support daytime cognitive sharpness.

[04:04] In the evening, I will wind down using the peace protocol, which delivers light for 9 minutes at a lower 20% intensity with a 10 Hz pulse frequency to encourage relaxation. These are all standard protocols that

[04:18] come with the device. I don't intend to tweak them except to possibly extend the length of time if it if it feels right. To measure the outcomes of this protocol objectively, I am tracking three

[04:30] specific data sets. First, I'm using an Oura Ring to monitor my sleep architecture, tracking specific metrics like deep sleep stages, REM sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability.

[04:44] I've gathered 4 years of historical Oura data, and I have isolated my immediate 2-month baseline data to establish a precise starting point. Second, I'm using the Cambridge Brain Sciences Laboratory testing platform as my

[04:57] objective measure for cognitive performance. This platform provides validated computerized tasks that measure distinct domains of brain function, and I've completed my baseline testing

[05:09] to record my starting scores for the short-term memory, logical reasoning, and processing speed. Third, I will track my mood. for this, but could not find one that was appropriate.

[05:24] So, I am going with a homemade system with three measures each morning. On a 1 to 10 scale, this will be mental clarity or focus from one heavy brain fog to 10 flow state, effortless cognition.

[05:39] Energy and vigor, one lethargic dragging and te- up to 10 vibrant physically driven. And emotional resilience. So, one is irritable, easily stressed, So, one is irritable, easily stressed, and 10 is calm, content, unshakable.

[05:54] Here are my baseline figures. I will just touch on these briefly to show the numbers. We can go into more detail when we look at the final results and compare them. First, Aura. I will look at my deep and REM sleep times. My

[06:07] HRV, which averaged over 2 months, is 29.4, and resting heart rate, which is an average of 53.6 beats per minute. Second is the Cambridge Science tests. I've been doing these for the past week

[06:22] to familiarize myself with them to try to avoid the improvements coming from learning how to play the games rather than cognitive speed. These are my current scores. As a note, I am finding these games

[06:35] hard, so I'm hoping the device will give me a boost. I will start the moon tracking from tomorrow morning, so I don't have a baseline for that yet. Based on the existing literature

[06:47] surrounding photobiomodulation, I have mapped out specific expectations for each phase of this trial. By the end of the first month, the data should indicate whether the technology is influencing immediate sleep

[07:00] architecture. Where I hope to see an expansion of slow wave sleep activity on my sleep tracker alongside subjective improvements in morning alertness. By month two, the expected increase in

[07:14] prefrontal cortex blood flow should manifest as sharper daytime focus and a more balanced baseline mood. And by the conclusion of month three, I'm looking for sustained daily energy levels, stable circadian rhythms, and

[07:28] measurable improvements across my Cambridge Brain Sciences cognitive test What are your thoughts on this experiment? Any predictions on what I'm going to see? Are there some other metrics that you

[07:42] think I should be tracking? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for Let me know in the comments. Thanks for your attention, and I wish you all well.