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The Bronowski Institute
The Bronowski Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience is an incorporated,
non-government, charitable, academic and scientific research organisation. It is
devoted to serving biomedical science, primary industry and the environment,
with integrity and for the betterment of humankind.
Recently we have discovered in a series of case studies that bright
light therapy can reduce the bradykinaesia and rigidity of Parkinson's
disease.
It is so effective in some patients that their medication can be reduced
by 50% without the loss of therapeutic efficacy. This reduces the
psychiatric side effects and involuntary movement caused by dopamine
replacement.
It also improves insomnia and depression which is experienced commonly
in Parkinson's disease. One limiting factor, however, is the use of
anti-depressant and hypnotic drugs as they reduce the benefits obtained
by light therapy.
This work has been formally presented internationally
and large-scale, double-blind trials are planned for the not too distant
future.
In addition, we have now defined the role of the retina and other parts
of the circadian system on the function of the nigro-striatal dopamine
system. We have discovered that brain function can be modified at the
level of the retina with very small doses of anti-Parkinsonian drugs.
This may lead to the elimination of side-effects and makes invasive
treatments (such as those involving stem cells) obsolete.
Please see our
publications for more information on our recent studies.
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