KORN KURATED RESEARCH

The Benefits of Photobiomodulation for Autism, Dementia, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Pain

Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses red or near-infrared (NIR) light to deliver therapeutic doses of light to neural cells. Research highlights its benefits in cognitive and athletic performance, tissue healing, and quality of life, as well as significant improvements in autism, dementia, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, pain management, and oral lichen planus.

I have used Photobiomodulation for over a year consistently for my own brain health, and I recommend it to my clients for a range of needs: cognitive performance, athletic performance, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I love how it makes me feel and think. The research on its diverse applications is burgeoning. I review the research every 6 months and want to give you an update.

What is Photobiomodulation?

Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses red or near-infrared (NIR) light from lasers to penetrate the tissues of the scalp and skull and deliver therapeutic doses of light to neural cells. Whole-body Photobiomodulation has shown a positive systemic and local response in quality of life, pain, sleep disorders, tiredness, muscle spasms, muscle stiffness, circadian rhythm, and fibromyalgia. It has been shown to promote tissue healing in dentistry. 

The research on its use for traumatic brain injury gives us hope for a noninvasive intervention when also supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and herbal medicines that perfuse the brain. I have worked with many pediatric clinicians and was pleased to see this method applied to Autism symptoms.

What I Look For in Research

When reviewing articles, I always look for who is conducting the research. The research with children was conducted by Margaret Naeser, PhD at the Veterans Administration and Boston University Medical Center. She is one of the authors and a long-time proponent of Photobiomodulation.

Read some of the latest research below on the use of photobiomodulation for:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, dysfunctional neuronal activity, and neuronal cell death. There is also an imbalance of functional connectivity throughout the brain. Photobiomodulation showed increased connectivity. This study was a randomized, double-blind, concurrent, sham-controlled trial that showed significant improvement in Autism Spectrum Disorder symptoms in two-to-six-year-old children, as measured by changes in the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), EEG, and parental interviews.

Dementia

In a study of patients with mild to moderately severe dementia, after 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement in increased function, better sleep, fewer angry outbursts, less anxiety, and reduced wandering. Rapid decline was observed during the follow-up 4-week period with no treatment.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury is a complex syndrome that affects all aspects of brain structure and function. Self-care for Traumatic Brain Injury is so intensive that I always appreciate any passive intervention that is easy for my clients. This research explores how Photobiomodulation works on multiple levels, including cellular, neural, and inflammatory, and discusses proposed micro and macro effects and benefits for this complex chronic condition.  

Multiple Sclerosis

Fatigue and weakness are two main disabling symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. This research showed significant improvement in strength (but not endurance) in a small sample of people with mild-moderate relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Pain

Several studies were reviewed with good to excellent evidence for the benefits of Photobiomodulation for acute and chronic pain. 

Oral lichen planus

Oral lichen planus is a painful condition usually treated with steroids, which can cause significant side effects. This study showed that Photobiomodulation twice a week is as effective as steroid therapy in treating this condition.  

Tags: photobiomodulation, photobiomodulation therapy, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, autism spectrum disorder

Interested in Learning More?

• Course(s): PTSD, Complex Trauma, and Traumatic Brain Injury
• Course(s): Mental Health Disorders
• Book(s): Rhythms of Recovery

Referenced Research Publications

Front Neurol
2024, April 26
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1221193

Transcranial photobiomodulation in children aged 2–6 years: a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial assessing safety, efficacy, and impact on autism spectrum disorder symptoms and brain electrophysiology

Abstract

Background: Small pilot studies have suggested that transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) could help reduce symptoms of neurological conditions, such as depression, traumatic brain injury, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Objective: To examine the impact of tPBM on the symptoms of ASD in children aged two to six years.

Method: We conducted a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial involving thirty children aged two to six years with a prior diagnosis of ASD. We delivered pulses of near-infrared light (40 Hz, 850 nm) noninvasively to selected brain areas twice a week for eight weeks, using an investigational medical device designed for this purpose (Cognilum™, JelikaLite Corp., New York, United States). We used the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS, 2nd Edition) to assess and compare the ASD symptoms of participants before and after the treatment course. We collected electroencephalogram (EEG) data during each session from those participants who tolerated wearing the EEG cap.

Results: The difference in the change in CARS scores between the two groups was 7.23 (95% CI 2.357 to 12.107, p = 0.011). Seventeen of the thirty participants completed at least two EEGs and time-dependent trends were detected. In addition, an interaction between Active versus Sham and Scaled Time was observed in delta power (Coefficient = 7.521, 95% CI -0.517 to 15.559, p = 0.07) and theta power (Coefficient = −8.287, 95% CI -17.199 to 0.626, p = 0.07), indicating a potential trend towards a greater reduction in delta power and an increase in theta power over time with treatment in the Active group, compared to the Sham group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the condition (Treatment vs. Sham) in the power of theta waves (net_theta) (Coefficient = 9.547, 95% CI 0.027 to 19.067, p = 0.049). No moderate or severe side effects or adverse effects were reported or observed during the trial.

Conclusion: These results indicate that tPBM may be a safe and effective treatment for ASD and should be studied in more depth in larger studies.

Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04660552, identifier NCT04660552.

Keywords: ASD, autism, PBM, tPBM, EEG, delta waves, pediatric neurology

Reference

Fradkin, Y., De Taboada, L., Naeser, M., Saltmarche, A., Snyder, W., & Steingold, E. (2024). Transcranial photobiomodulation in children aged 2-6 years: a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial assessing safety, efficacy, and impact on autism spectrum disorder symptoms and brain electrophysiology. Frontiers in neurology, 15, 1221193. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1221193

Photomed Laser Surg
2019, August 01
DOI: 10.1089/pho.2016.4227

Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated whether patients with mild to moderately severe dementia or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) Baseline scores of 10–24 would improve when treated with near-infrared photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy.

Background: Animal studies have presented the potential of PBM for AD. Dysregulation of the brain's default mode network (DMN) has been associated with AD, presenting the DMN as an identifiable target for PBM.

Materials and methods: The study used 810 nm, 10 Hz pulsed, light-emitting diode devices combining transcranial plus intranasal PBM to treat the cortical nodes of the DMN (bilateral mesial prefrontal cortex, precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, angular gyrus, and hippocampus). Five patients with mild to moderately severe cognitive impairment were entered into 12 weeks of active treatment as well as a follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. Patients were assessed with the MMSE and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) tests. The protocol involved weekly, in-clinic use of a transcranial-intranasal PBM device; and daily at-home use of an intranasal-only device.

Results: There was significant improvement after 12 weeks of PBM (MMSE, p < 0.003; ADAS-cog, p < 0.023). Increased function, better sleep, fewer angry outbursts, less anxiety, and wandering were reported post-PBM. There were no negative side effects. Precipitous declines were observed during the follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. This is the first completed PBM case series to report significant, cognitive improvement in mild to moderately severe dementia and possible AD cases.

Conclusions: Results suggest that larger, controlled studies are warranted. PBM shows potential for home treatment of patients with dementia and AD.

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, photobiomodulation, LLLT, LED, transcranial, intranasal

Reference

Saltmarche, A. E., Naeser, M. A., Ho, K. F., Hamblin, M. R., & Lim, L. (2017). Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 35(8), 432–441. https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2016.4227

Cells
2024, February 23
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13050385

Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery with Photobiomodulation: Cellular Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Future Potential

Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) remains a significant global health challenge, lacking effective pharmacological treatments. This shortcoming is attributed to TBI’s heterogeneous and complex pathophysiology, which includes axonal damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and persistent neuroinflammation. The objective of this study is to analyze transcranial photobiomodulation (PBM), which employs specific red to near-infrared light wavelengths to modulate brain functions, as a promising therapy to address TBI’s complex pathophysiology in a single intervention. This study reviews the feasibility of this therapy, firstly by synthesizing PBM’s cellular mechanisms with each identified TBI’s pathophysiological aspect. The outcomes in human clinical studies are then reviewed. The findings support PBM’s potential for treating TBI, notwithstanding variations in parameters such as wavelength, power density, dose, light source positioning, and pulse frequencies. Emerging data indicate that each of these parameters plays a role in the outcomes. Additionally, new research into PBM’s effects on the electrical properties and polymerization dynamics of neuronal microstructures, like microtubules and tubulins, provides insights for future parameter optimization. In summary, transcranial PBM represents a multifaceted therapeutic intervention for TBI with vast potential which may be fulfilled by optimizing the parameters. Future research should investigate optimizing these parameters, which is possible by incorporating artificial intelligence.

Keywords: traumatic brain injury; photobiomodulation; pathophysiology; cellular mechanisms; clinical studies; parameters; power; pulse frequency

Reference

Lim, L. (2024). Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery with Photobiomodulation: Cellular Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Future Potential. Cells, 13(5), 385. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13050385

Multiple sclerosis and related disorders
2024, April 01
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105598

Effects of photobiomodulation therapy on muscle function in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Reference

Rouhani, M., Tolentino, M., Lyons, J. A., & Ng, A. V. (2024). Effects of photobiomodulation therapy on muscle function in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, 86, 105598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2024.105598

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
2023, March 24
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11070938

Efficacy of Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Pain and Inflammation: A Literature Review

Abstract

The main objective of this literature review was to analyze the efficacy of (PBM) therapy application on subjects with chronic pain and inflammation, and furthermore, to evaluate the methodological quality of the collected literature. The search was conducted using five databases: PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro. The keywords “low level laser therapy”, “chronic pain”, and “inflammation” provided the selection of RCTs that were published within the last 5 years, conducted in humans, and written in English. The PEDro Internal Validity Scale (IVS) checklist was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. A total of 11 articles were selected, all of them RCTs. Of the articles, five showed that PBM positively influences chronic pain, while another showed the same but only in the short term. In two other articles, the patient’s inflammation improved markedly. In one article there was no improvement in chronic pain and in another, there was no improvement in inflammation. Four articles demonstrated that PBM is beneficial in acute pain. Furthermore, six studies were given an “excellent” score and the remaining five a “good” score based on the IVS. Photobiomodulation has beneficial effects on chronic pain and inflammation, although more research needs to be completed in this line for this to be clarified as the existence of RCTs on this subject is limited.

Keywords: low-level laser therapy, photobiomodulation, chronic pain, inflammation, metabolism

Reference

González-Muñoz, A., Cuevas-Cervera, M., Pérez-Montilla, J. J., Aguilar-Núñez, D., Hamed-Hamed, D., Aguilar-García, M., Pruimboom, L., & Navarro-Ledesma, S. (2023). Efficacy of Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Pain and Inflammation: A Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 11(7), 938. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11070938

European journal of dentistry
2024, May 14
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1782213

Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management of Oral Lichen Planus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is a non-invasive and the latest form of therapy used in the treatment of non oncological diseases as well as cancers of various types and locations. The aim of this study was to systematically review and assess the efficacy of PBMT in managing oral lichen planus (OLP) compared to the interventions. A systematic review and meta-analysis were implemented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. An electronic search using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane was conducted to retrieve relevant studies published until June 2023. The outcomes evaluated included the reduction in pain score and clinical severity scores (Prospero No CRD42023428626). A total of eight studies were identified for qualitative synthesis. The pooled analysis incorporating six studies revealed that there are no significant differences for both mean pain score (mean difference [MD] = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.51, 0.93) as well as clinical score (MD = -0.08, 95% CI = -0.4, 0.25) between PBMT and comparison groups. Subgroup analysis based on corticosteroids as controls showed that there was no significant difference in mean reduction in pain score between PBMT and topical steroids (MD = 0.38, 95% CI = -0.54, 1.31). PBMT is as effective as other interventions in the treatment of OLP, though not superior, and can be a promising alternative treatment for cases resistant to steroids or when steroids are contraindicated. Further studies are recommended to standardize the optimal settings for the treatment of OLP.

Reference

Soh, W. K., Cheah, K. F., Veettil, S. K., Pandiar, D., Nimbalkar, S., & Gopinath, D. (2024). Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management of Oral Lichen Planus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. European journal of dentistry, 10.1055/s-0044-1782213. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0044-1782213

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