Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report
Saltmarche AE, Naeser MA, Ho KF, Hamblin MR, Lim L
Photomedicine and laser surgery · 195 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Case report (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Authors
- At least one author declares a financial tie to industry
Based on full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2017-02-10 · Photomed Laser Surg · vol. 35 · issue 8 · pp. 432–441
- Publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
- Cited
- 301 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 16.7× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 36 works
- Access
- Free to read
- Research areas
- Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine · Dermatologic Treatments and Research · Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Keywords
- Medicine, Dementia, Precuneus, Internal medicine, Alzheimer's disease, Cognition, Audiology, Psychiatry, Disease
- MeSH
- humans, alzheimer disease, prognosis, treatment outcome, severity of illness index, risk assessment, sampling studies, neuropsychological tests, aged, aged, 80 and over, female, male, low-level light therapy
5 authors
From US
- Anita E. Saltmarche · corresponding
- Margaret A. NaeserBoston University; VA Boston Healthcare System
- Kai Fai Ho
- Michael R. HamblinHarvard University; Massachusetts General Hospital
- Lew Lim
Abstract
Objective
This study investigated whether patients with mild to moderately severe dementia or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) Baseline scores of 10-24 would improve when treated with near-infrared photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy.
Background
Animal studies have presented the potential of PBM for AD. Dysregulation of the brain's default mode network (DMN) has been associated with AD, presenting the DMN as an identifiable target for PBM.
Materials and methods
The study used 810 nm, 10 Hz pulsed, light-emitting diode devices combining transcranial plus intranasal PBM to treat the cortical nodes of the DMN (bilateral mesial prefrontal cortex, precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, angular gyrus, and hippocampus). Five patients with mild to moderately severe cognitive impairment were entered into 12 weeks of active treatment as well as a follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. Patients were assessed with the MMSE and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) tests. The protocol involved weekly, in-clinic use of a transcranial-intranasal PBM device; and daily at-home use of an intranasal-only device.
Results
There was significant improvement after 12 weeks of PBM (MMSE, p < 0.003; ADAS-cog, p < 0.023). Increased function, better sleep, fewer angry outbursts, less anxiety, and wandering were reported post-PBM. There were no negative side effects. Precipitous declines were observed during the follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period. This is the first completed PBM case series to report significant, cognitive improvement in mild to moderately severe dementia and possible AD cases.
Conclusions
Results suggest that larger, controlled studies are warranted. PBM shows potential for home treatment of patients with dementia and AD.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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