Stimulating The Brain With Laser Beams Can Improve Short-term Memory By 25%!

A laser to improve memory sounds a bit outrageous? However, a recent scientific study has observed that this conclusion is confirmed.
The study found that transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), a method of shining a laser into the right prefrontal cortex, may be able to improve people's short-term memory in both human and animal models. The results of this non-invasive, side-effect-free therapy, which may be used to help treat people with short-term memory deficits, have been published in the journal Science Advances.
Scientists at the University of Birmingham (UK) and Beijing Normal University (China) have shown that the non-invasive therapy can improve people's short-term or working memory by 25 percent.
The researchers say the treatment works primarily on an area of the brain known as the right prefrontal cortex, which is important for working memory. In their experiment, the team showed how the study participants' working memory improved after a few minutes of treatment. They were also able to use electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring to track changes in brain activity during treatment and testing.
While laser treatment has previously been shown to improve working memory in mice, the human study conducted here also showed that tPBM treatment can improve accuracy and speed up reaction time while improving higher-order functions such as attention and mood.
This is the first study to confirm a link between tPBM treatment and working memory in humans. Dongwei Li of the Centre for Human Brain Health at the University of Birmingham, who participated in the study, said, "People with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or other attention-related disorders can benefit from this treatment, which is safe, simple, non-invasive and has no side effects."
During the study, researchers from Beijing Normal University conducted experiments on 90 men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. Participants received laser treatment at a wavelength of 1064 nanometers, while others received either laser treatment at a shorter wavelength, or laser treatment at a shorter wavelength, or laser treatment at a shorter wavelength. Each participant also received a sham or inactive tPBM treatment to exclude placebo effects.
After 12 minutes of tPBM treatment, participants were asked to remember the color or orientation of a group of items displayed on the screen. Participants who received the 1064 nm laser treatment showed significant improvements in memory compared to those who received the other treatments. In contrast, participants who received the other treatments could only remember 3-4 test objects, while those who received the targeted treatment could remember 4-5 objects.
The University of Birmingham also analyzed data such as electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring during the experiment and found that changes in brain activity also predicted an improvement in memory.
The researchers are not yet sure why this treatment has a positive effect on working memory or how long this effect lasts. Some expert professors believe that the light may have stimulated the astrocytes in the nerve cells within the prefrontal cortex, thus having a positive effect on the efficiency of the cells. They plan to conduct further research on these aspects.
Memory plays a key role in people's ability to learn, creativity and logical thinking, and for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who always complain that they "can't remember," future laser therapy may help them find a breakthrough.