THE CURE INDEX
Helio Cure's evidence score based on human clinical trials for red light therapy.
Dementia refers to a group of conditions that gradually impair memory, thinking, and the ability to carry out daily activities due to changes in the brain.
Red light therapy was found effective for dementia in a review of 4 human studies covering 123 participants. The CURE index scored this condition 71 out of 100, indicating strong confidence.
People with dementia who received red light therapy showed improved cognitive function, with results differing across the individual studies reviewed.
The 4 studies reviewed were made up of 2 randomized controlled trials and 2 observational studies. Effective outcomes were reported in 3 studies, while 1 study found no significant benefit.
810 nm was the most commonly used wavelength, with studies ranging from 630 to 1080 nm overall. Sessions ran 6 to 20 minutes at a time, given 3 to 14 times per week, across therapy periods of 14 to 56 days.
EVIDENCE AT A GLANCE
The numbers behind the verdict.
MOST CITED WAVELENGTH
The wavelength appearing most often in studies that showed benefit for dementia.
810 nmTREATMENT PROTOCOL RANGES
The lowest and highest values used across dementia studies.
| PARAMETER | RANGE |
|---|---|
| Wavelength | 630-1080 nm |
| Session Duration | 6-20 minutes |
| Session Frequency | 3-14 per week |
| Therapy Duration | 14-56 days |
Note: We have excluded meta-analyses and reviews from scoring, but the list of human studies below contains them for your reference.
5 Human Studies on Red Light Therapy for Dementia
Dementia Patients Showed Greatest Gains With Photobiomodulation Therapy
Researchers conducted a 2023 network meta-analysis to evaluate non pharmacological therapies, including photobiomodulation (PBM), enriched environment therapy, exercise therapy, computerized cognitive training, and cognitive stimulation therapy, for cognitive impairment in people with dementia. The analysis pooled data from 38 randomized controlled trials with 3,412 participants, applying light treatment directly to the brain and through the nose using wavelengths from 600 to 1100 nm and 650 to 1080 nm, with sessions ranging from 6 to 30 minutes given 3 to 10 times per week over 98 days. Compared with the control group, PBM was linked to significantly greater improvement in cognitive function, and the analysis suggested it may provide more benefit than the other non pharmacological therapies studied.
- Study Type
- Meta-analysis
- Participants
- 3412
- Treated Area
- Brain
- Wavelength(s)
- 600-1100, 650-1080 nm
- Session Duration
- 6 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes
- Session Frequency
- 3, 6, 7, 10 per week
- Therapy Duration
- 98 days
Study Title: Effectiveness of non-pharmacological therapies on cognitive function in patients with dementia-A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Photobiomodulation Increased Brain Wave Activity in Dementia Case
An 84 year old patient with dementia took part in a 2022 observational case study testing photobiomodulation (PBM) stimulation. PBM was delivered in 3 sessions during the first week and 5 sessions per week afterward over 35 days, applied to the scalp at 810 nm with power densities of 4.2 and 12.7 mW/cm2 and a pulse frequency of 10 Hz. At the end of the study, increases in alpha brain wave activity and improved brain connectivity measures on EEG following treatment were reported, suggesting a possible short term effect of PBM on brain activity in this single case.
- Study Type
- Observational Study
- Participants
- 1
- Treated Area
- Head
- Wavelength(s)
- 810 nm
- Session Frequency
- 3, 5 per week
- Therapy Duration
- 35 days
Study Title: EEG-Validated Photobiomodulation Treatment of Dementia-Case Study.
Dementia Patients Reported Better Memory After Laser Therapy
32 patients with dementia took part in a 2022 randomized controlled trial testing low level laser therapy (LLLT) for cognitive symptoms. Researchers applied wavelengths of 630 nm and 810 nm to the head at an irradiance of 90 mW/cm2 and a fluence of 56.5 J/cm2, comparing a group receiving transcranial LLLT with a sham group receiving a zero intensity laser, for 10 minutes 3 times per week over 14 days. At both the 2 week and 8 week follow ups, patients in the LLLT group showed greater improvement in memory test scores than those in the sham group, a finding the researchers linked to a possible cognitive benefit of laser therapy in dementia.
- Study Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Participants
- 32
- Treated Area
- Head
- Wavelength(s)
- 630, 810 nm
- Session Duration
- 10 minutes
- Session Frequency
- 3 per week
- Therapy Duration
- 14 days
Study Title: Therapeutic Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Cognitive Symptoms of Patients with Dementia: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.
Near Infrared Light Produced Cognitive Improvement in Dementia
A 2021 observational study compared an active treatment group and a sham treatment group among 60 patients with dementia to evaluate transcranial near infrared light stimulation (tNIR). Participants had a mean age of 74.2 years and were 60% male and 40% female, and tNIR light was applied to the scalp and brain at wavelengths of 1060 to 1080 nm and an irradiance of 23.1 mW/cm2, in 6 minute sessions delivered 14 times per week over 56 days. The study reported greater improvement in memory test scores among the active treatment group than the sham treatment group, suggesting tNIR may offer a possible cognitive benefit for people with dementia. The study also reported no adverse side effects among participants during the trial.
- Study Type
- Observational Study
- Participants
- 60
- Treated Area
- Head
- Wavelength(s)
- 1060-1080 nm
- Session Duration
- 6 minutes
- Session Frequency
- 14 per week
- Therapy Duration
- 56 days
Study Title: Transcranial Near Infrared Light Stimulations Improve Cognition in Patients with Dementia.
Dementia Trial Found No Added Benefit From Light Therapy
In 2025, a randomized controlled trial compared a PBMT group and a control group of patients with mild to moderate dementia to evaluate photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for cognitive and mood symptoms. The trial assigned 15 patients to the PBMT group, who received standard care plus light therapy, and 15 patients to the control group, who received standard care with a sham device. Both groups had participants with an average age of about 69 to 70 years and a similar mix of men and women who received light at 630 and 850 nm applied to the front, sides, and top of the head at a light intensity of 9.6 mW/cm2 and a total light dose of 11.5 J/cm2 per session, given for 20 minutes 6 times per week over 14 days. Cognitive function, depression, and anxiety scores showed no meaningful difference between the PBMT group and the control group, a result the researchers linked to limited added benefit from light therapy in people with dementia.
- Study Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Participants
- 30
- Treated Area
- Head
- Wavelength(s)
- 630, 850 nm
- Distance
- Near Contact
- Session Duration
- 20 minutes
- Session Frequency
- 6 per week
- Therapy Duration
- 14 days
Study Title: The Efficacy of Photobiomodulation Therapy in Improving Cognitive Function and Reducing Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.
The CURE Index (Clinical Understanding of Red-light Evidence) by Helio Cure is a 0-100 evidence score based on published human clinical trials. Higher scores mean stronger evidence. Read full methodology →
Data is powered by AI and reviewed by the Helio Cure team.
This page is for educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider before starting red light therapy. Helio Cure does not diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition.
Last updated: Jul 20, 2026