Photobiomodulation for

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States.

Autism is associated with social, communication, sensory, behavioral and cognitive impairments, as well as restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, activities, or interests.

As children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face several challenges due to deficits in social function and communication along with restricted patterns of behaviors, they also often have difficult-to-manage and disruptive behaviors.

The use of photobiomodulation (PBM) on people with ASD is being studied as a new alternative option for aiding some of the symptoms of Autism. PBM has been shown to modulate neural oscillations, exposing the potential correlation between improvements in autism severity and EEG changes.

Each year more research is being conducted and trials facilitated to learn more about the application of PBM on people on the spectrum:

Light therapy reduced irritability in autistic children and adolescents

In a study investigating the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy on 21 children and adolescents on the autistic spectrum (aged 5-17 years), it was found that light therapy was effective in reducing irritability and other associated symptoms and behaviors.

Light therapy reduced Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) severity, cognitive and behavioral rigidity, noncompliant behavior, parental stress, and increased sleep quality and attention

Pallanti, S. et al. (2022) focused on the use of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) over a period of six months for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The results suggest a reduction in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) severity and cognitive and behavioral rigidity, as well as an increase in sleep quality, improved attention, and a reduction in noncompliant behavior. This also resulted in decreased parental stress.

References:

1. Leisman, G., Machado, C., Machado, Y., & Chinchilla-Acosta, M. (2018). Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1116, 111–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2018_234

2. Kim UJ, Hong N, Ahn JC. Photobiomodulation Attenuated Cognitive Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation in a Prenatal Valproic Acid-Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 17;23(24):16099. doi: 10.3390/ijms232416099. PMID: 36555737; PMCID: PMC9785820. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9785820/

3. Pallanti, S., Di Ponzio, M., Grassi, E., Vannini, G., & Cauli, G. (2022). Transcranial Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Retrospective Study. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 9(5), 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9050755

4. Hamilton C, Liebert A, Pang V, Magistretti P, Mitrofanis J. Lights on for Autism: Exploring Photobiomodulation as an Effective Therapeutic Option. Neurol Int. 2022 Oct 27;14(4):884-893. doi: 10.3390/neurolint14040071. PMID: 36412693; PMCID: PMC9680350. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9680350/

Further Research

Clinical research is ongoing and several studies have been published on light therapy for various conditions.

Take a look below to explore each research page.

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