IN THIS LESSON: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) delivers red-to-near-infrared (NIR) light through the intact skull to modulate brain function.

In published human and animal studies, laser-based tPBM has demonstrated

  • neuroprotective effects

  • pro-cognitive effects

  • antidepressant effects

by enhancing

  • mitochondrial respiration

  • cerebral blood flow

  • glymphatic clearance

Randomized and open-label laser trials report clinically meaningful benefits in

  • ischemic stroke

  • traumatic brain injury (TBI)

  • major depressive disorder (MDD)

  • Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

  • Parkinson’s disease (PD)

No serious adverse events attributed to therapy across thousands of treated sessions.