About tPBM

Purpose

Having witnesssed the effectiveness of tPBM inspires me to help children benefit from this accessible technique for brain modulation in recovery from traumatic injury or overcoming neuro-developmental difficulty.

Most educational therapies work by wiring the brain through external experience: the child is exposed to a carefully designed, repeated therapeutic stimulus e.g., through play, through a task, through a movement.

However, what therapies take for granted is the underlying condition of the the brain that is ‘trying’ to change and develop. tPBM modulates the brain directly. In addition, the child then responds better to therapeutic stimulation. A ‘better brain’ learns better. There is a double win.

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How Research Evidence for tPBM is Growing

PBM Research History

PBM is a 50-year old technology, also known as Low-level Laser Therapy (LLTT) or Red Light Therapy. Scientific evidence for PBM has grown exponentially since 2006. There are now 5000+ peer reviewed publications on PBM (Dr Michael Hamblin, 2020), 500+clinical trials, 4000+ laboratory studies and 30+ new journal papers per month. PBM features in top scientific journals e.g., Nature; BMJ; The Lancet, and Journal of Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery.

tPBM Clinical Studies

PBM has wide application across medical science, e.g., in relation to disease, injury, PTSD, physical performance, mental health and wellness. Musculo-skeletal PBM studies are long established. Traumatic Brain Injury and Cognitive Function PBM studies followed more recently, yet already provide reliable evidence of benefit. A PubMed search for tPBM now generates 220 results of clinical studies. Of these, 78 studies relate to traumatic brain injury (TBI).

tPBM in Children

tPBM research focused initially on neurodegeneration, e.g., Alzheimer, Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease. Given the common brain repair mechanisms of tPBM, the potential benefit for young brains now attracts increasing research interest. tPBM have particular salience for the neuroplasticity of young brains, i.e., tPBM interacts positively with natural mechamisms for brain development and repair, and has the capacity to remodel brain pathways.

How the Science of tPBM works in the Brain

“tPBM light changes cell and tissue biochemistry”

tPBM is a child-friendly, non-invasive way of delivering low-power red and near infrared light to the brain, stimulating a photochemical reaction that triggers metabolic changes within brain cells and tissues. The child feels a mild warmth as the light is held gently on their head, while they enjoy a quiet activity.

Frequencies of red light pass through the skin (transdermally) to benefit the layers of connective tissue and the skull, bringing about changes in cell metabolism and blood flow. Frequencies of near infrared light are capable of penetrating into the brain (transcranially) to reach the neural tissue itself, benefiting neurons (the network of nerve cells that transmit signals) and the supporting glia (the even greater network of support cells which maintain brain function).

The effect is photochemical. Photons of tPBM light are absorbed, not unlike photosynthesis in plants. The consequence is a domino-effect of cellular reactions that continue long after the light has been switched off (as illustrated below). As the diagram shows, tPBM triggers changes in ATP (adenosine triphosphate); NO (nitric oxide); ROS (random oxygen species) and cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophasphate). The biological benefits include:-

  • cerebral blood flow (tissue oxygenation and nutrition)
  • lymphatic drainage
  • microglia activation (brain’s immune system)
  • cellular energy (cellular functions)
  • neurogenesis (new brain cell formation)
  • synaptogenesis (new connections between brain cells)

Shedding Light: the Tech behind tPBM at Home

LED Handheld

Powerful, high quality LED lights are now affordably available for home tPBM use. They are a safe, Class II Medical Device cleared by the FDA.

The product I typically recommend is the Target Light 2.0, sold by a British company, Red Light Rising.

The Target Light offers optimal frequencies (e.g., red light at 660nm and, most importantly for brain penetration, near infrared light at 850nm), with effective levels of power (watts/milliwatts), irradiance (power/ cm2 ) and fluence (energy/ cm2 ).

LED – Brain Helmet

The development of brain helmets over the past 2-3 years has added an excellent tPBM tool to research and clinical fields.

The overall head exposure allows hundreds of simultaneous pinpoint LED lights to deliver healing energy, with obvious advantage of total brain irradiance per treatment session.

For example, Suyzeko’s product has 256 LEDs with controls for frequency (e.g. 5Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz), time, and intensity. A hands-free helmet may suit teenage children who can sit quietly.

Laser Handheld

The advantage of laser over LED for the brain is depth of penetration. A laser beam is collumated, i.e. straight, whilst an LED beam is scattered.

Handheld laser lights are smalller in size, and applied with greater focal accuracy across a greater number of brain target areas. They are a Class 3B medical device, and require goggles to protect eyes.

High quality laser lights, with sufficient power and fluence are expensive for family use. They are more commonly found in professional settings, as the THOR PBM Desktop, illustrated below.

How tPBM helps Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

“In our experience the most promising treatment for TBI is tPBM using NIR light (near infrared light)”

Professor Hamblin (2018) – World Leading tPBM Scientist.

tPBM directly targets injured brain cells, speeding healing.

Anti-inflammatory mechanisms: increased cerebral blood flow and lymphatic drainage; activation of microglia (the brain’s immune system).

Repair and regeneration mechanisms: increased cellular energy (ATP production); enhanced cell nutrition; activated signalling pathways for gene transcription; improved inter-neuronal communication and synaptic plasticity.

tPBM triggers short term and long term changes in brain function, boosting:

How tPBM helps Neurodevelopmental Difficulty

tPBM optimises cell/tissue metabolism to support the brain’s natural process of function, and therefore of development.

Through enhanced cerebral blood flow, delivery of cellular nutrition, lympahtic drainage of toxins/waste, cellular energy (ATP production) and immune regulation (microglial activation), brain biochemistry is enhanced.

In addition, there are longer term developmental effects. For young brains strugging with neurodevelopment, the knock-on signalling effects on gene transcription hold potential for proliferation of new brain cells (neurogenesis), and new connection between brain cells (synaptogenesis).

Through consistent use, tPBM has the potential to reorganise brain pathways and support recovery from dysfunctional patterns of neurodevelopment.