Photobiomodulation: multifaceted therapeutic effects on disorders in the central nervous system.

The review describes why light-based approaches are being studied across neurological and psychiatric conditions and highlights the need for disease-specific protocols and larger trials.

Xiong W, Su Y, Chen H, Verkhratsky A, Yi C.
Clinical science (London, England : 1979) · Publication date: 2026-10-01
Added to site: 2026-10-06
DOI: 10.1042/cs20261472

Published October 1, 2026 in the authoritative index. Added October 6, 2026.

Modalities

Photobiomodulation, Red and near-infrared light

Clinical focus

Central nervous system disorders, Mechanisms and protocol development

Population

Human and preclinical central nervous system research discussed in the review

Sample

Study count and participant denominator not reported in the abstract

Intervention / method

Overview of proposed mitochondrial, photosensitive-protein, neuronal-oscillation and neuroglial pathways, with attention to wavelength, dose, frequency and individual variability

Comparator

Not applicable to this narrative overview

Clinician summary

The authors synthesize mechanistic and human evidence across cognition, movement and emotional outcomes, while emphasizing protocol parameters, anatomical variability, biomarkers and long-term safety as unresolved translational issues.

How to interpret the findings

The checked abstract does not report a systematic search, study count, patient denominators, comparators, pooled effects, adverse-event synthesis or certainty assessment. Mechanistic plausibility and favorable studies do not establish efficacy for a condition or device.

Equipment and disclosures

No single device or standardized regimen; wavelength, dosage and frequency varied across the reviewed literature.

The indexed record lists Natural Science Foundation of Shenzhen Municipality support. Full-text conflict disclosures were not checked.

Related evidence

Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.