Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical therapy that uses near-infrared light to stimulate the body's natural healing processes. When PBM light is applied to the scalp or other parts of the body, it triggers a cascade of cellular events that can lead to a variety of beneficial effects, including:

  • Increased blood flow and oxygenation to the brain

  • Reduced inflammation

  • Enhanced nerve cell function

  • Improved mitochondrial function

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is typically administered in a series of treatments, each lasting 8-16 minutes. The number of treatments needed will vary depending on the individual and the condition being treated.

PBM has shown promise for symptoms related to:

Research on PBM

YouTube Channel for Harvard’s Mass General PBM Grand Rounds

For Depression: Montazeri K, et al., Photobiomodulation therapy in mood disorders: a systematic review. Lasers Med Sci. 2022 Dec;37(9):3343-3351. doi: 10.1007/s10103-022-03641-w

For Anxiety: Maiello M, et al., Transcranial Photobiomodulation with Near-Infrared Light for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study.Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery.Oct 2019.644-650. http://doi.org/10.1089/photob.2019.4677

For Autism Spectrum Disorder:

Leisman G, Machado C, Machado Y, Chinchilla-Acosta M. Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2018;1116:111-130. doi: 10.1007/5584_2018_234. PMID: 29956199. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956199/

For ADHD:

Rybak YE, McNeely HE, Mackenzie BE, Jain UR, Levitan RD. An open trial of light therapy in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006 Oct;67(10):1527-35. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v67n1006. PMID: 17107243. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17107243/

For Alzheimer’s:

Saltmarche AE, Naeser MA, Ho KF, Hamblin MR, Lim L. Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report. Photomed Laser Surg. 2017 Aug;35(8):432-441. doi: 10.1089/pho.2016.4227. Epub 2017 Feb 10. PMID: 28186867; PMCID: PMC5568598. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28186867/

Introductory Video

The Deep dive on PBM