Research Site Profile

Research Site Introduction:

The study is being done by a new start-up, MindLight, LLC, which has been issued an SBIR grant through the National Instituted of Drug Abuse. We are doing a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of unilateral photobiomodulation, near infra-red mode applied to the sides of the forehead. In preliminary studies, Dr. Schiffer, the founder of MindLight, published the first study of photobiomodulation for anxiety and depression, Behavioral and Brain Functions 2009, 5:46, "Psychological benefits 2 and 4 weeks after a single treatment with near-infrared light to the forehead: a pilot study of 10 patients with major depression and anxiety." The study was performed at MGH. Since then the positive findings have been replicated in 4 studies. We are testing unilateral treatments (to a healthier hemisphere) as opposed to bilateral treatments. We are now focusing on opioid use disorders.  McLean Hospital is the institutional component of the study and will perform 30% of this research.

Research Site Description:

MindLight, LLC is renting additional space for this study at Sameem Associates at 24 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands and Square Medical Group, 124 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA. All facilities are fully equipped to perform this study. MindLight, LLC's home office is located at 30 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands, MA 02461.

Patient Demographics:

For this study we are looking for people who are current or recent opioid users who currently have significant opioid cravings and are male or female between the ages of 18 and 70. We will exclude pregnant females. Patients can call and have a phone interview to see if they meet our inclusion criterion.

Additional Information:

For this study, we will compare patients who are treated twice a week for 4 weeks and who come in for 3 weekly follow up sessions. Half the group will randomly be assigned to sham treatment and a half to active treatment and we will compare the outcomes of the two groups. It is important that study participants will try to complete the study so that the study can have meaningful data, but all participants are free to drop out of the study for any reason. In prior studies, we have had few dropouts, but this study is over 8 consecutive weeks and will require good motivation to get to completion. We were issued the NIH grant because our preliminary data suggest that the treatment may be very beneficial and the study is to support or counter that suggestion. We feel progress can only be made through competent research.

Contact Information:

Fredric Schiffer, MD

MindLight, LLC

30 Lincoln Street

Newton Highlands, MA 02461

781-405-8800