Brain Photobiomodulation: Searching for Predictive Target Engagement

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Biophotonics and Biomedical Optics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 1287

Special Issue Editors

1. Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street (2612), Boston, MA 02129, USA
2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: transcranial photobiomodulation; low-level light therapy; major depressive disorder; anxiety disorders; Alzheimer’s disease; Down syndrome; bipolar disorder; brain injury; sexual dysfunction

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Guest Editor
1. Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street (2612), Boston, MA 02129, USA
2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
3. Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
Interests: transcranial photobiomodulation; low-level light therapy; major depressive disorder; anxiety disorders; pain; diabetic neuropathy; chemotherapy-induced neuropathy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The goal of this Special Issue is to bring together a collection of papers—either preclinical or clinical studies—to elucidate the effects of t-PBM on neurophysiological targets. The latter might include neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurogenesis as well as neurometabolites, brain waves, and connectivity (the list is not exhaustive but rather an exemplification). It will be critically important to accurately report the t-PBM parameters and the expected light deposition at the target as well as the treatment safety and tolerability.

We welcome the submission of manuscripts including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Applications of t-PBM in animal models of stress-related disorders, especially depression and anxiety, considering pathobiological insights into genetic vulnerability, altered hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity, monoamines dysfunction, deficiency of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in specific brain regions, neurotoxic and neurotrophic processes, reduced gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity, dysregulation of the glutamate system, impaired circadian rhythms, etc.;
  • Preclinical and clinical studies involving t-PBM applications for neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder (MDD)), thus aiming to target specific regions of the central nervous system (e.g., hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)). Special focus will be given (but it is not restricted) to analyses involving cutting-edge technologies such as fMRI, accompanied by clinical measures of mood, cognition, suicidal ideation, sleep, anhedonia, etc.;
  • Methodological and study protocol papers that advance the field by exemplifying the best approaches for t-PBM studies with specific neurophysiological targets will also be considered.

Dr. Paolo Cassano
Dr. Willians Fernando Vieira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • transcranial photobiomodulation
  • low-level light therapy
  • major depressive disorder
  • anxiety disorders
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Down syndrome
  • bipolar disorder
  • brain injury
  • sexual dysfunction

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 934 KiB  
Article
A Grant Report: Examining the Efficacy of Remote Photobiomodulation Therapy in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder
by Adriano Alberti, Willians Fernando Vieira, David Richer Araujo Coelho and Daniel Fernandes Martins
Photonics 2024, 11(9), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11090839 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 438
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition affecting a significant portion of the population worldwide. This condition can impact individuals of all ages, including adolescents, leading to an impact on various aspects of their lives. Adolescence is a crucial phase [...] Read more.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition affecting a significant portion of the population worldwide. This condition can impact individuals of all ages, including adolescents, leading to an impact on various aspects of their lives. Adolescence is a crucial phase of human development, characterized by several neurobiological changes. The onset of MDD during this period can result in damage not only to teenagers but also might have long-lasting implications for their future as adults. Notably, the onset of MDD in adolescents is often associated with various biomarkers, such as increased levels of inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α), oxidative stress markers, and alterations in neurotransmitter levels, indicating a complex interplay of biological factors. Therefore, early intervention is essential for addressing MDD during this phase. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) emerges as an innovative and promising approach that utilizes light, especially in the near-infrared (NIR) and red spectra, to trigger biological and therapeutic effects. Notably, targeting the skull and abdomen with PBMT might explore the bidirectional communication between the intestinal system and the central nervous system in a remote and/or systemic way. In this context, we present the rationale and design of an ongoing study aiming to assess the efficacy of PBMT on depressive symptoms and biomarkers associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial function in adolescents with MDD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Brain Photobiomodulation: Searching for Predictive Target Engagement)
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