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The effects of transcranial LED therapy (TCLT) on cerebral blood flow in the elderly women

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Abstract

During aging processes, there is a range of functional changes, where we can highlight the disease related to the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer disease and others forms of dementia. This study investigated the effects of transcranial light emitting diode (LED) on cerebral blood flow in healthy elderly women analyzed by transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) of the right and left middle cerebral artery and basilar artery. Twenty-five noninstitutionalized elderly women (mean age 72 years old), with a cognitive status >24, were assessed using transcranial Doppler ultrasound on two separate occasions: pre-irradiation and post-transcranial LED therapy (TCLT). Prior to this, they answered two questionnaires: the perceived stress scale and the general health questionnaire. TCLT (627 nm, 70 mW/cm2, 10 J/cm2) was performed at four points of the frontal and parietal region for 30 s each, totaling 120 s two times per week for 4 weeks. Paired t-test results showed that there was a significant improvement after TCLT with increase in the systolic and diastolic velocity of the left middle cerebral artery (25 and 30 %, respectively) and basilar artery (up to 17 and 25 %), as well as a decrease in the pulsatility index and resistance index values of the three cerebral arteries analyzed (p < 0.05). TCD parameters showed improvement in the blood flow on the arteries analyzed. TCLT promoted a blood and vasomotor behavior of the basilar and middle cerebral arteries in healthy elderly women.

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Acknowledgments

The authors of the present study would like to thank Dr. Marcos Antônio Dias and the Hospital Evangélico de Londrina for assistance in performing the transcranial Doppler ultrasound examinations and Dr. Carlos M. Omura and Luciana Guandeline for assisting in the recruitment and scheduling of the volunteers that participated in the study.

Conflict of interest

No competing financial interests exist.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Camilo Castelo Branco University, Unicastelo, S J dos Campos, São Paulo, 12247-004, Brazil

    Afonso S. I. Salgado & Renato A. Zângaro

  2. School of Postural and Manual Therapy, Londrina, Paraná, 86015-300, Brazil

    Afonso S. I. Salgado & Rodolfo B. Parreira

  3. Center for Innovation, Technology and Education (CITÉ) SJ dos Campos, São Paulo, 12245-650, Brazil

    Renato A. Zângaro

  4. Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology for the Physiotherapy course in the Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, Paraná, 85040-080, Brazil

    Ivo I. Kerppers

Authors
  1. Afonso S. I. Salgado
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  2. Renato A. Zângaro
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  3. Rodolfo B. Parreira
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Correspondence to Afonso S. I. Salgado.

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Salgado, A.S.I., Zângaro, R.A., Parreira, R.B. et al. The effects of transcranial LED therapy (TCLT) on cerebral blood flow in the elderly women. Lasers Med Sci 30, 339–346 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1669-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1669-2

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