What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a review of existing traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatments and presented a retrospective case series on the use of high-power near-infrared laser phototherapy for chronic TBI patients.
What They Found
In a retrospective case series of ten patients with chronic TBI, who averaged 9.3 years post-injury, ten treatments over two months with a high-power near-infrared laser improved symptoms like headache, sleep disturbance, cognition, and mood dysregulation. The study also indicated greater clinical efficacy with higher fluence, contrasting previous models.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This research suggests that high-power near-infrared laser phototherapy could offer a potential new treatment option for Canadian patients experiencing chronic symptoms of traumatic brain injury. If proven effective in larger trials, it might help alleviate persistent issues such as headaches, sleep problems, and mood disturbances.
Canadian Relevance
This study does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The primary limitation of this study is its small sample size of ten patients and its retrospective case series design, which lacks a control group.