Low-level laser therapy applied transcranially to mice following traumatic brain injury significantly reduces long-term neurological deficits

Amir Oron*, Uri Oron, Jackson Streeter, Luis De Taboada, Alexander Alexandrovich, Victoria Trembovler, Esther Shohami

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

173 Scopus citations

Abstract

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been evaluated in this study as a potential therapy for traumatic brain injury (TBI). LLLT has been found to modulate various biological processes. Following TBI in mice, we assessed the hypothesis that LLLT might have a beneficial effect on their neurobehavioral and histological outcome. TBI was induced by a weight-drop device, and motor function was assessed 1 h post-trauma using a neurological severity score (NSS). Mice were then divided into three groups of eight mice each: one control group that received a sham LLLT procedure and was not irradiated; and two groups that received LLLT at two different doses (10 and 20 mW/cm2) transcranially. An 808-nm Ga-As diode laser was employed transcranially 4 h post-trauma to illuminate the entire cortex of the brain. Motor function was assessed up to 4 weeks, and lesion volume was measured. There were no significant changes in NSS at 24 and 48 h between the laser-treated and non-treated mice. Yet, from 5 days and up to 28 days, the NSS of the laser-treated mice were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the traumatized control mice that were not treated with the laser. The lesion volume of the laser treated mice was significantly lower (1.4%) than the non-treated group (12.1 %). Our data suggest that a non-invasive transcranial application of LLLT given 4 h following TBI provides a significant long-term functional neurological benefit. Further confirmatory trials are warranted.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)651-656
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Neurotrauma
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Histopathology
  • Low-level laser therapy
  • Mice
  • Motor function
  • Traumatic brain injury

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