Introduction
NIR Light Triggered Photobiomodulation
Cerebral regulatory mechanisms of photobiomodulation
Modulation of intracellular molecules
Cytochrome C oxidase
Intracellular calcium ions (Ca.2+)
ROS
Neuronal networks
Photobiomodulation promoting cognition
Transcranial photobiomodulation
Modulation in healthy human brain
Study (year) | Ages | Wavelengths and Irradiation Parameters | Irradiation Approach and Sites | Outcomes or Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chang et al. (2012) [68] | 20–21 years old | 830 nm; 7 mW per diode, 20 J/cm2, 10 min, PW at 10 Hz with DC of 50% | Remote tissue irradiation; 1 site, left palm | Laser stimulation at 10 Hz can increase the power of alpha rhythms and theta activities, EEG can be interfered |
Barrett and Gonzalez-Lima (2013) [69] | 18–35 years old | 1064 nm; 250 mW/cm2, 60 J/cm2, 4 min, one irradiation session, CW | Transcranially; 2 sites, unilateral (right frontal pole on 4 cm medial and lateral) | After 2 weeks of irradiation, subjects have positive emotional states, significant improvement of both attention and memory |
Gonzalez-Lima et al. (2015) [70] | Mean age: 20.4 years | 1064 nm; 250 mW/cm2, 60 J/cm2, 8 min, one irradiation session, CW | Transcranially; 2 sites, (lower and upper portion of right lateral forehead at EEG map sites: FP2, F4 | Improved executive function |
Gonzalez-Lima et al. (2016) [71] | 17–35 years old | 1064 nm; 250 mW/cm2, 60 J/cm2, 8 min, one irradiation session, CW | Transcranially; 2 sites, lower and upper portion of right lateral forehead at EEG map sites: FP2, F4, and F8 site | Improved prefrontal rule-based learning, and increased learning related cognitive function |
Salimi et al. (2018) [29] | Males:19–25 years Females:18–25 years | 850 nm; 285 mW/cm2,60 J/cm2, 2.5 min, 1.4 cm2, CW | Transcranially; On the right prefrontal cortex, especially Fp2 region | After photobiomodulation, attention and alertness are improved, cognitive function is enhanced, and delta power is decreased simultaneously |
Chan et al. (2019) [37] | Mean age: 66.2 years | 870 nm; 44.4 mW/cm2, 7.5 min, 22.48 cm2 and 999 mW totally | Transcranially; 3 sites; Left frontopolar at FP1 and right frontopolar at FP2 and Pz | The older adults who received photobiomodulation exhibited significant improvements in the frontal brain functions, such as action selection, inhibition ability, and mental flexibility |
Modulation in cognitive dysfunction
Alzheimer's disease
Study (year) | Mode | Wavelengths and Irradiation Parameters | Irradiation Approach and Sites | Outcomes or Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maksimovich et al. (2015) [64] | AD patients (34.83% male and 65.17% female) without serious comorbidities | Visible region of spectrum; 20 mw, fiber diameter of 25–100 μm, 20–40 min | Transcatheterly | Improved cerebral microcirculation and cognitive recovery; decreased permanent dementia |
Nichols et al. (2017) [62] | AD patients | 1064 nm, 3.4 W, 250 mW/cm2, 120 or 137.5 J/cm2 per session, CW | Transcranially | Improved reaction time and lapses in psychomotor vigilance task and correct responses in delayed match to sample task; increased resting-state EEG alpha, beta, and gamma power; |
Glushkovskaya et al (2019) [24] | Mongrel male mice injected Aβ (1–42) peptide (1 μL, 200 μmol) in the CA1 field of the hippocampus bilateral | 1267 nm, 50–200 mW/cm2, 18–39 J/cm2 at brain’s surface, beam diameter of 5 mm, CW | Transcranially; High power laser diode (LD-1267-FBG-350) | Transcranial photobiomodulation significantly reduces the deposition of Aβ plaques (by stimulating lymphatic drainage) and improves cognition, memory and neurological status |
Xing et al. (2020) [72] | Double transgenic mice (APPswe/PSENdE9) | 632.8 nm, 92 mW, 10 min, spot area of 0.785 cm2 in cerebral cortex and hippocampus, once a day, CW | He–Ne laser | Transcranial photobiomodulation has the ability to improve cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease |
Shin et al. (2020) [73] | Transgenic (5XFAD) male mice | 610 nm, 1.7 mW/cm2, 2.0 J/cm2, spot diameter of 4 mm onto the midpoint of the parietal bone and the posterior midline of the seventh cervical vertebra, 20 min × 3, 14 weeks | Skin-adherent LED probe | Transcranial photobiomodulation has the ability to reduce amyloid accumulation, neuronal loss and microgliosis and improve cognitive impairment by elevating insulin-degrading enzyme associated with Aβ degradation |
Huang et al. (2021) [67] | AD patients with dementia but without serious comorbidities | 1060–1080 nm and 15,000 mW, 23.1 mW/cm2, ~ 650cm2 per treatment area, 6 min × 2 daily for 8 weeks | Transcranially (light treatment helmet devices) | The NIR light treatments demonstrated safety and positive cognitive improvements in AD patients with dementia, and the trial designed a simple treatment that could benefit dementia patients |
Traumatic brain injury
Study(year) | Mode | Wavelengths and Irradiation Parameters | Irradiation Approach and Sites | Outcomes or Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whalen et al (2012) [66] | Male C57BL/6 mice, 3 months of age weighing 25–30 g | 800 nm; 250–1000 mW/cm2,60–210 J/cm2, spot area of 1.32 cm2, 2 or 7 min, CW | A) Via an open craniotomy; Holding probe at 1 cm above head B)B)B)B)B)Transcranially; At the right and left parieto-temporal region | Improved cognitive performance in MWM test (at 60 J/cm2 by transcranially or via an open craniotomy); decreased microglial activation at 48 h post-TBI |
Henderson et al. (2015) [74] | Lamb heads, TBI patients | 810 and 980 nm; 10 and 15 W, 14.8–28.3 J/cm2, 8–12 min per site, 2–3 times/week for 8 weeks, PW at 10 Hz | Transcranially; bilateral forehead, bilateral prefrontal and temporal | Improved symptoms of headache, sleep disturbance, cognition, mood dysregulation, anxiety, and irritability |
Hamblin et al. (2016) [75] | Male BALB/c mice, aged 6–8 week weighing 20–25 g | 810 nm; 25 mW/cm2, 18 J/cm2, spot diameter of 1 cm, 12 min, for 3 or 14 days, CW | Transcranially; Covered the entire skull | By 3 times a day: improved neurological severity score; improved cognitive performance in MWM test; decreased lesion size (at 2–8 weeks post-TBI); increased expression of GFAP in perilesional cortex, Dentate Gyrus and SVZ (at 8 weeks) |
Micci et al (2018) [23] | Male Sprague–Dawley rats (200–350 g) | 808 nm; 10 Nano second pulsed laser (NPLT), 20 Hz, 15 mJ/pulse, 5 min, 300 J/cm2 totally | Transcranially; A 3 mm diameter specially developed fiber-optic bundle system | Transcranial photobiomodulation significantly reduces neuronal death and inflammation, increases neurotrophin expression and proliferation of neural progenitors in the hippocampus, and improves vestibulomotor and cognitive functions |
Micci et al (2020) [76] | Male Sprague–Dawley rats (350 g–400 g) | 808 nm; 10 Nano pulsed laser (NPLT), 15 mJ/pulse, 5 min, 20 Hz, 300 J/cm2 totally | Transcranially; A 3 mm diameter optical fiber | TBI models' cognition and neurogenesis can be mitigated. NPLT significantly decreased aberrant migration of neural progenitors, while preventing TBI-induced upregulation of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in NSC |