NCT00961454

Photobiomodulation to Alter Cerebral Blood Flow and to Affect the Emotional Status of Patients With Major Depression

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Ability of Photobiomodulation to Alter Cerebral Blood Flow in the Frontal Poles and to Affect the Emotional Status of Patients With Major Depression

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (actual)
• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

A pilot study to evaluate the ability of photobiomodulation to alter cerebral blood flow in the frontal poles and to affect the emotional status of patients with major depression.

Detailed description

We wish to study whether photobiomodulation (PBM) with near infrared (NIR) light emitting diodes (LED), a non-ionizing phototherapy, in patients with major depression, can acutely alter frontal brain blood flow measured by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Secondarily, we will examine whether PBM can improve emotional state immediately and over the following month. We see this as a pilot study to gather preliminary data that will guide future studies.

Conditions

• Major Depression
• Anxiety Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Substance Abuse Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Photobiomodulation with a super-luminous light emitting diode	The treatment will consist of applying PBM in the form of a super-luminous LED with an output of 250 mW/cm2 at a wavelength of 815 nm with a full width half maximum of 40 nm when applied at 4 mm from the skin. The treatment will consist of the exposure to the light for 4 minutes (total delivered fluence per spot of 60 J/cm2) at each of 4 sites on the forehead that correspond to the 10-20 EEG sites, F3, and F4.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-01-01
• Primary completion: 2009-06-01
• Completion: 2009-06-01
• First posted: 2009-08-19
• Last updated: 2009-08-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States