Light Therapy Could Shine For Psychological Disorders

O.K. so light therapy isn’t exactly what is meant by optogenetics, but it is kinda close. It may be because of the sheer awesomeness of the implications that this could hold that I am so biased to want more. Think of it, electrodes, lights or lasers could switch on or off certain cells within the brain that is causing psychological disorders. Maybe not curing, but certainly decreasing the given symptom that it targets. I’ve never been fully comfortable saying that psychological disorders can be fixed purely by chemical means. Medications make me wary, despite the unfounded positive impact that it has, I think we can do better. Imagine your brain like a wall, using medication to solve a problem is similar to throwing a can of paint at the wall and hoping it gets to all the right spots. Optogenetics target specifically what it needs to within the electrical impulses while leaving the remainder of the area untouched. This is not electroshock or ECT, or even deep brain stimulation which has both negative and positive outcomes as well. Further brain imaging and mapping will be required in order to treat various symptoms, but the results might be better living without the side effects of medication or the risk of any real damage.

On a slightly related note, looking at the relationship between your stomach and your anxiety might help us understand how certain micro-organisms and bacteria can be influencing that anxious state. It’s actually something I’ve noticed personally. Nervous stomach is a term used frequently in my family so the eternal chicken or the egg question has arisen in my mind with regard to anxiety and stomach aches. Once, during a particularly interesting section of psychopharmacology I was told that receptors near your stomach is the reason why nausea is a frequent symptom of the first few days of SSRIs and such. It caused me to wonder whether something about stomach ailments or how a particular person’s receptor is located could actually trigger anxiety issues…. anyway, let’s back some cool science!