Abstract: An apparatus is provided for irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with electromagnetic radiation to treat stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, or depression. The apparatus includes a source of the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus further includes an output optical element including a rigid and substantially thermally conductive material and a surface configured to be in thermal communication with the patient's body. The apparatus further includes a cooler thermally coupled to the output optical element to remove heat from the output optical element. The apparatus further includes a heat sink thermally coupled to the cooler, wherein the heat sink is positioned so that the electromagnetic radiation from the source propagates through the heat sink and through the output optical element.

Abstract: Methods for providing and/or determining therapeutic treatment of at least a portion of a patient's brain are provided. The method includes applying light to at least a portion of a patient's brain and monitoring at least one physiological parameter of the patient. The method further includes receiving real-time feedback information regarding the at least one monitored physiological parameter and adjusting a treatment parameter of the applied light based on the real-time feedback information.

Abstract: A therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The therapy apparatus includes a light source having an output emission area positioned to irradiate a portion of the brain with an efficacious power density and wavelength of light. The therapy apparatus further includes an element interposed between the light source and the patient's scalp. The element is adapted to inhibit temperature increases at the scalp caused by the light.

Abstract: A method and apparatus irradiates a surface with at least one pulsed light beam emitted from an emission surface of an optical element. The at least one pulsed light beam comprises a plurality of pulses having a temporal pulsewidth in a range between about 0.1 millisecond and about 150 seconds. The at least one pulsed light beam has a beam cross-sectional area at the emission surface greater than about 2 cm2 and a time-averaged irradiance in a range between about 1 mW/cm2 and about 100 W/cm2.

Abstract: A method for treating a subject having Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease is provided. The method includes noninvasively delivering light energy having a wavelength of about 630 nanometers to about 904 nanometers to the brain of the subject. Delivering the light energy includes (i) irradiating the scalp with light energy having an incident power density between about 10 mW/cm2 to about 10 W/cm2, (ii) transmitting a portion of the light energy through the scalp and the skull to the brain, wherein the transmitted light energy has a power density of at least about 0.01 mW/cm2 at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the dura, or both (i) and (ii).

Abstract: An apparatus emits light for irradiating a patient's skin to treat portions of a patient's body underneath the patient's skin. The apparatus includes a source of light having a wavelength which is substantially transmitted by the patient's skin. The apparatus further includes an optical conduit optically coupled to the source. The apparatus further includes an output optical element comprising a rigid and substantially thermally conductive material. The output optical element is optically coupled to the optical conduit.

Abstract: Therapeutic methods for enhancing neurologic function such as may be desired in individuals having motor and/or cognitive impairment, including that resulting from Alzheimer's disease, dementia, head trauma, mental disease such as depression, stroke and neurodegeneration, as well as in healthy individuals are described, the methods including delivering a cognitive enhancing effective amount of light energy having a wavelength in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range to a target area of the brain. The neurologic function enhancing effective amount of light energy, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, is a predetermined power density (mW/cm2) at the level of the brain tissue being treated, and is delivered by determining a surface power density of the light energy that is sufficient to deliver the predetermined power density of light energy to the target brain tissue. In one embodiment, progenitor cells are treated using light energy and implanted into the central nervous system of a patient.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient having neurologic function affected by Parkinson's disease is provided. The method includes providing a patient having neurologic function affected by Parkinson's disease. The method further includes delivering electromagnetic radiation noninvasively through the scalp and the skull of the patient to at least one portion of the brain of the patient. The light energy has a wavelength in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range, and the wavelength, power density, and amount of the light energy delivered to the at least one portion of the brain are sufficient to reduce the severity of symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the patient.

Abstract: A method for treating or preventing depression is disclosed. The method, in preferred embodiments includes therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The method, in a preferred embodiment, includes irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light energy having an efficacious power density and wavelength. The light energy should be sufficient to cause regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain and/or an upregulation of endogenous compounds in the brain, including neurotrophic factors, that result in neural growth, neurogenesis, and/or plasticity of neural function which leads to a diminishment or elimination of depression and its symptoms, and/or delays, reduces, or eliminates the onset of depression or depressive symptoms.

Abstract: A therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The therapy apparatus includes a light source having an output emission area positioned to irradiate a portion of the brain with an efficacious power density and wavelength of light. The therapy apparatus further includes an element interposed between the light source and the patient's scalp. The element is adapted to inhibit temperature increases at the scalp caused by the light.

Abstract: An apparatus is wearable by a patient for treating the patient's brain. The apparatus includes a body which covers at least a portion of the patient's scalp when the apparatus is worn by the patient. The apparatus further includes a plurality of elements. Each element has a first portion which conforms to a corresponding portion of the patient's scalp when the apparatus is worn by the patient. Each element has a second portion which conforms to a light source removably contacting the element. Each element is substantially transmissive to light from the light source to irradiate at least a portion of the patient's brain.

Abstract: An apparatus emits light for irradiating a patient's skin to treat portions of a patient's body underneath the patient's skin. The apparatus includes a source of light having a wavelength which is substantially transmitted by the patient's skin. The apparatus further includes an optical conduit optically coupled to the source. The apparatus further includes an output optical element comprising a rigid and substantially thermally conductive material. The output optical element is optically coupled to the optical conduit.

Abstract: A method for treating a patient's heart is provided. The method includes providing a light source which emits light having an initial power density. The method further includes positioning the light source relative to the patient's heart with intervening tissue of the patient between the light source and the patient's heart. The method further includes directing light onto cardiac tissue of the patient's heart from the light source through the intervening tissue without damaging the intervening tissue. The cardiac tissue is irradiated by an efficacious power density of light for an efficacious period of time.

Abstract: A therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The therapy apparatus includes a light source having an output emission area positioned to irradiate a portion of the brain with an efficacious power density and wavelength of light. The therapy apparatus further includes an element interposed between the light source and the patient's scalp. The element is adapted to inhibit temperature increases at the scalp caused by the light.