Cortical photostimulation with filtered visible light as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

Not all extraocular photoreceptors in the human brain have been identified or their functions determined. The efferent and afferent fibres between the orbital frontal cortex and the hypothalamus cannot be overlooked in the co ntext of the neuro-endocrine-immune feedback loop. It is suggested here tha t there are extraocular photoreceptors in the orbital frontal cortex, conce ivably crucial for immunoregulation. The orbital frontal cortex of 7 volunt eers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was photostimulated through the roof of the orbits with filtered visible light in sessions of 12, 14 and 16 minute s for a period of 6 weeks. Within 5 weeks, a significant decrease in the rh eumatoid factor titres of 6 subjects was observed together with marked clin ical improvement in 4 cases.