A certain type of laser therapy, referred to as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), is at the forefront of scientific research as a potential treatment option in the areas of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Researchers have explored the benefits in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), strokes, and other degenerative brain disorders by studying the potential benefits of transcranial LLLT in both animal testing and limited human clinical trials.
Recent results indicate that transcranial LLLT is effective in reaching brain tissue on a micro-cellular level, thus offering potential healing and protective benefits. Scientists believe LLLT can benefit traumatic brain injury victims and may soon offer yet another innovative step forward in the field of rehabilitation.
How can Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) help Traumatic Brain Injury Patients?
LLLT operates on principals of light and wavelength. Lasers used specifically for transcranial treatment emit near-infrared waves which are capable of penetrating the skull and stimulating mitochondria in brain cells.
Mitochondria are referred to as the cells’ “power houses”. They are found within every cell of the human body and are responsible for cellular respiration, which produces the fuel needed for all cell activities. Healthy production of fuel levels foster cell growth and division, while a deficiency can result in cell death.
Understanding the function of mitochondria allows us to see how LLLT works to benefit nerve and brain cells in TBI patients. Mitochondria behave as a cell’s principal photoreceptors and respond when stimulated by LLLT. The “power house” is essentially “turbocharged” by the laser and yields a higher level of anti-oxidant and pro-proliferation gene products. Oxidation is the process that breaks down many materials, including cells. Anti-oxidants strengthen and protect cells from death while proliferation inducing materials can encourage healthy cell growth and division. The focus of this potential treatment for TBI patients is that LLLT is believed to fight swelling of brain tissue and reduce tissue death.
The process we just described is crucial to the recovery of both TBI and SCI patients. In many traumatic brain injuries, groups of cells are damaged, but remain alive. Any treatment that protects these cells and enables repair is a step forward.
The Future of LLLT and its Use in TBI Treatment
Like most other experimental treatments still in the research phase, positive findings for LLLT are also met by challenging views along with the medical view that effective treatment is contingent upon the optimization of too many variables. While researchers have discovered ways to bolster the protection making qualities of mitochondrion, sustained long-term benefits have yet to be verified.
More research is still needed as the dangers of the treatment must still be ruled out. For example, LLLT research has also shown that varying laser dosage (changing illumination time or power density), even slightly, can have a counter-productive effect. Other potential treatment variables such as treatment timing, repetition, duration, and light polarization still require further trials before LLLT is ready for human subjects. While the results of some human clinical trials are being considered, LLLT is still at least a few years away from approval as an effective TBI treatment option.
Finding another way to prevent brain cells from dying off brings researchers another step closer to finding a cure. Further experimentation is already underway and researchers are closer to finding the optimal parameters needed for sustained cell restoration.
References:
National Institute of Health – Role of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Neurorehabilitation – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065857/
About.com – Biology – Mitochondria – https://biology.about.com/od/cellanatomy/ss/mitochondria.htm
National Center for Biotechnology Information – Transcranial low-level laser therapy improves neurological performance in traumatic brain injury in mice: effect of treatment repetition regimen – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23308226
