Skip to main content
  • 319 Accesses

Abstract

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a novel interventional therapy that stimulates brain tissue with light at infrared to near-infrared wavelengths, which is applied in the treatment of various neurological and psychological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Studies also suggest that PBM is effective in enhancing cognitive functions such as sustained attention and short-term memory in normal individual. The widely recognized PBM mechanism is that the absorption of light by neurons leads to an increase in mitochondrial activity and also an increase in cerebral blood flow. Other studies suggest that the sustained effect of light can only be explained by activating signal pathways and transcription factors that cause changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barrett DW, Gonzalez-Lima F (2013) Transcranial infrared laser stimulation produces beneficial cognitive and emotional effects in humans. Neuroscience 230:13–23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farzad S, Javad M, Farzin K et al (2018) Brain photobiomodulation therapy: a narrative review. Mol Neurobiol 55(8):6601–6636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freitas LF, Hamblin MR (2016) Proposed mechanisms of photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy. IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron 22(3):7000417

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hamblin MR (2016) Shining light on the head: photobiomodulation for brain disorders. BBA Clin 6:113–124

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lampl Y, Zivin JA, Fisher M et al (2007) Infrared laser therapy for ischemic stroke: a new treatment strategy: results of the NeuroThera effectiveness and safety Trial-1 (NEST-1). Stroke 38:1843–1849

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morries LD, Cassano P, Henderson TA (2015) Treatments for traumatic brain injury with emphasis on transcranial near infrared laser phototherapy. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 11:2159–2175

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Naeser MA, Zafonte R, Krengel MH et al (2014) Significant improvements in cognitive performance post-transcranial, red/near-infrared light-emitting diode treatments in chronic, mild traumatic brain injury: open-protocol study. J Neurotrauma 31(11):1008–1017

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Peoples C, Spana S, Ashkan K et al (2012) Photobiomodulation enhances nigral dopaminergic cell survival in a chronic MPTP mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 18:469–476

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salehpour F, Mahmoudi J, Kamari F et al (2018) Brain photobiomodulation therapy: a narrative review. Mol Neurobiol 55(8):6601–6636

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Saltmarche AE, Naeser MA, Ho KF et al (2017) Significant improvement in cognition in mild to moderately severe dementia cases treated with transcranial plus intranasal photobiomodulation: case series report. Photomed Laser Surg 35(8):432–441

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schiffer F, Johnston AL, Ravichandran C et al (2009) 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. Behav Brain Funct 5:46

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Scholkmann F, Kleiser S, Metz AJ et al (2014) A review on continuous wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy and imaging instrumentation and methodology. NeuroImage 85(Pt 1):6–27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw VE, Spana S, Ashkan K et al (2010) Neuroprotection of midbrain dopaminergic cells in MPTP-treated mice after near-infrared light treatment. J Comp Neurol 518:25–40

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Song P, Han T, Lin H et al (2020) Transcranial near-infrared stimulation may increase cortical excitability recorded in humans. Brain Res Bull 155:155–158

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tian F, Hase SN, Gonzalez-Lima F et al (2016) Transcranial laser stimulation improves human cerebral oxygenation. Lasers Surg Med 48(4):343–349

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Tian F, Reddy DD et al (2017) Up-regulation of cerebral cytochrome-c-oxidase and hemodynamics by transcranial infrared laser stimulation: a broadband near-infrared spectroscopy study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 37(12):3789–3802

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wu X, Alberico SL, Moges H et al (2012) Pulsed light irradiation improves behavioral outcome in a rat model of chronic mild stress. Lasers Surg Med 44:227–232

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Duan, H., Song, P. (2023). Transcranial Photobiomodulation. In: Wang, Y. (eds) Therapeutics of Neural Stimulation for Neurological Disorders. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4538-2_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4538-2_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-99-4537-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-99-4538-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics