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John Mitrofanis, PhD - Vielight. Sydney, , AUSTRALIA

John Mitrofanis, PhD

Professor, Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences | Vielight

Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Neuroscience expert, revolutionizing neuroprotection to dopaminergic cells in Parkinson's disease

Biography

John Mitrofanis, PhD, is interested in new methods that offer neuroprotection to dopaminergic cells in Parkinson's disease. Dr. Mirofanis has had a long-standing series of collaborations with Prof. Alim Benabid, from investigating the neuroprotective impact on dopaminergic cells after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, to more current explorations into the beneficial effects of near infrared light on dopaminergic cell survival. The red light is thought to help or protect cells from parkinsonian insult by stimulating mitochondrial activity. We are in the process of developing a new intracranial device that will deliver the red light to the cells from inside the brain. We are hopeful that this novel method of light application leads to a treatment in patients, one that helps protects cells from further pathology.

Industry Expertise (9)

Mental Health Care

Health Care - Services

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Writing and Editing

Research

Education/Learning

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Areas of Expertise (5)

Head and Neck Anatomy

Neuroprotection

Neuroscience

Parkinson's Disease

Neuroanatomy

Accomplishments (1)

Parkinsons New South Wales Incorporated/Research Grants (professional)

2015-01-01

"Common pathways in neuroprotection: understanding mechanisms of three neuroprotectants in a model of Parkinson’s disease"

Affiliations (1)

  • Michael J. Fox Foundation: Clinical Researcher

Media Appearances (1)

Shining a (red) light on Parkinson’s disease

INSPIRED stories  online

2013-01-01

“Infrared light has been used for a long time as an analgesic of sorts, to relieve pain,” he says. “Even the ancient Egyptians had a sense of the healing properties of coloured lights.”

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Articles (5)

810 nm near-infrared light offers neuroprotection and improves locomotor activity in MPTP-treated mice


Neuroscience Research

2015 We explored whether 810 nm near-infrared light (NIr) offered neuroprotection and/or improvement in locomotor activity in an acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Mice received MPTP and 810 nm NIr treatments, or not, and were tested for locomotive activity in an open-field test. Thereafter, brains were aldehyde-fixed and processed for tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that MPTP-treated mice that were irradiated with 810 nm NIr had both greater locomotor activity (∼40%) and number of dopaminergic cells (∼20%) than those that were not. In summary, 810 nm (as with 670 nm) NIr offered neuroprotection and improved locomotor activity in MPTP-treated mice.

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Near infrared light mitigates cerebellar pathology in transgenic mouse models of dementia


Neuroscience Letters

2015 We previously reported that Alzheimer-related pathology in cerebral cortex of APP/PS1 and K3 tau transgenic mouse strains is mitigated by near infrared light (NIr). Here, we extend these observations to the cerebellum. One month of NIr treatment mitigated the deposition of β-amyloid in cerebellar cortex of APP/PS1 mice, and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, the hyperphosphorylation of tau, the damage caused by oxidative stress and the downregulation of cytochrome oxidase expression by Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex of K3 mice. These findings show the ability of NIr to mitigate degeneration in many – probably all – regions of the mouse brain.

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Photobiomodulation inside the brain: a novel method of applying near-infrared light intracranially and its impact on dopaminergic cell survival in MPTP-treated mice


Journal of Neurosurgery

2014 Previous experimental studies have documented the neuroprotection of damaged or diseased cells after applying, from outside the brain, near-infrared light (NIr) to the brain by using external light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser devices. In the present study, the authors describe an effective and reliable surgical method of applying to the brain, from inside the brain, NIr to the brain. They developed a novel internal surgical device that delivers the NIr to brain regions very close to target damaged or diseased cells. They suggest that this device will be useful in applying NIr within the large human brain, particularly if the target cells have a very deep location.

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Photobiomodulation preserves behaviour and midbrain dopaminergic cells from MPTP toxicity: evidence from two mouse strains


BMC Neuroscience

2013 We have shown previously that near-infrared light (NIr) treatment or photobiomodulation neuroprotects dopaminergic cells in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) from degeneration induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in Balb/c albino mice, a well-known model for Parkinson’s disease. The present study explores whether NIr treatment offers neuroprotection to these cells in C57BL/6 pigmented mice. In addition, we examine whether NIr influences behavioural activity in both strains after MPTP treatment. We tested for various locomotive parameters in an open-field test, namely velocity, high mobility and immobility.

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Patterns of Cell Activity in the Subthalamic Region Associated with the Neuroprotective Action of Near-Infrared Light Treatment in MPTP-Treated Mice


Parkinson's Disease

2012 We have shown previously that near-infrared light (NIr) treatment or photobiomodulation neuroprotects dopaminergic cells in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) from degeneration induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in mice. The present study explores whether NIr treatment changes the patterns of Fos expression in the subthalamic region, namely, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and zona incerta (ZI); both cell groups have abnormally overactive cells in parkinsonian cases. BALB/c mice were treated with MPTP (100–250 mg/kg) or saline either over 30 hours followed by either a two-hour or six-day survival period (acute model) or over five weeks followed by a three-week survival period (chronic model). NIr and MPTP were applied simultaneously. Brains were processed for Fos immunochemistry, and cell number was estimated using stereology. Our major finding was that NIr treatment reduced (30–45%) the increase in Fos+ cell number evident in the STN and ZI after MPTP insult. This reduction was concurrent with the neuroprotection of dopaminergic SNc cells shown previously and was evident in both MPTP models (except for the 2 hours survival period which showed no changes in cell number). In summary, our results indicated that NIr had long lasting effects on the activity of cells located deep in the brain and had repaired partially the abnormal activity generated by the parkinsonian toxin.

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