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Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in nerve injury repair—a new era in therapeutic agents and regenerative treatments

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Abstract

Background

Traumatic nerve injuries may result in severe motor dysfunctions. Although the microenvironment of peripheral axons favors their regeneration, regenerative process is not always successful.

Purpose

We reviewed and discussed the main findings obtained with low-level laser therapy (LLLT), a therapeutic intervention that has been employed in order to achieve an optimized regeneration process in peripheral axons.

Scope

Disseminating the best available evidence for the effectiveness of this therapeutic strategy can potentially improve the statistics of success in the clinical treatment of nerve injuries. We found evidence that LLLT optimizes the regeneration of peripheral axons, improving motor function, especially in animal models. Nonetheless, further clinical evidence is still needed before LLLT can be strongly recommended. Although the results are promising, the elucidation of the mechanisms of action and safety assessment are necessary to support highquality clinical studies.

Conclusion

The present careful compilation of findings with consistent pro-regenerative evidence and published in respected scientific journals can be valuable for health professionals and researchers in the field, possibly contributing to achieve more promising results in future randomized controlled trials and interventions, providing better prognosis for clinical practice.

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Acknowledgements

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) is thankfully acknowledged for partially supporting this work under Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI) program awarded to Hafiz M.N. Iqbal (CVU: 735340). The listed author(s) thankfully acknowledge the literature access provided by their respective institutions/ organizations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 35032-620, Governador Valadares-MG, Brazil

    Xellen Cunha Muniz

  2. Department of Medicine, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 35032-620, Governador Valadares-MG, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Correa de Assis & Bruna Stefane Alves de Oliveira

  3. Graduate Program in Process Engineering, Tiradentes University (UNIT), Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, Farolândia, Aracaju-Sergipe, 49032-490, Brazil

    Luiz Fernando Romanholo Ferreira

  4. Institute of Technology and Research (ITP), Tiradentes University (UNIT), Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, Farolândia, Aracaju-Sergipe, 49032-490, Brazil

    Luiz Fernando Romanholo Ferreira

  5. School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China

    Muhammad Bilal

  6. Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

    Hafiz M. N. Iqbal

  7. Division of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Basic Life Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 35010-177, Governador Valadares-MG, Brazil

    Renato Nery Soriano

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  1. Xellen Cunha Muniz
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Correspondence to Muhammad Bilal or Renato Nery Soriano.

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Muniz, X.C., de Assis, A.C.C., de Oliveira, B.S.A. et al. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in nerve injury repair—a new era in therapeutic agents and regenerative treatments. Neurol Sci 42, 4029–4043 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05478-7

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