Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30474306›Full record

Trial reportInternational journal of geriatric psychiatry2019

Photobiomodulation improves the frontal cognitive function of older adults.

Agnes S Chan, Tsz Lok Lee, Michael K Yeung, Michael R Hamblin

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07224607 (A Longitudinal Study Investigating the Effects of Photobiomodulation), which is not on this map. Cited by 48 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
48citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07224607 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

A Longitudinal Study Investigating the Effects of Photobiomodulation (PBM) on Cognitive Function and Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-Related Biomarkers in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or Dementia Due to AD

TypeinterventionalSponsorCedars-Sinai Medical CenterRan2025 to 2026Enrolled45ConditionsAlzheimer's DiseaseArmsPhotobiomodulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

48 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 103 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Agnes S ChanDepartment of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0002-3321-182X
Tsz Lok LeeDepartment of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0001-5993-0315
Michael K YeungDepartment of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6699-6080
Michael R HamblinWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.ORCID 0000-0001-6431-4605
Chinese University of Hong Kong · HKHarvard University · US

Funding

Photodynamic Therapy of Localized InfectionsR01AI050875 · NIAID · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI HAMBLIN, MICHAEL R · 2003 to 2017
$4.8M
Synergistic Photodynamic Therapy for Catherer-Associated Urinary Tract InfectionsR21AI121700 · NIAID · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI HAMBLIN, MICHAEL R · 2016 to 2017
$462k
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI050875NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI121700
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe frontal lobe hypothesis of age-related cognitive decline suggests that the deterioration of the prefrontal cortical regions that occurs with aging leads to executive function deficits. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a newly developed, noninvasive technique for enhancing brain function, which has shown promising effects on cognitive function in both animals and humans. This randomized, sham-controlled study sought to examine the effects of PBM on the frontal brain function of older adults. METHODS/DESIGNS: Thirty older adults without a neuropsychiatric history performed cognitive tests of frontal function (ie, the Eriksen flanker and category fluency tests) before and after a single 7.5-minute session of real or sham PBM. The PBM device consisted of three separate light-emitting diode cluster heads (633 and 870 nm), which were applied to both sides of the forehead and posterior midline, and delivered a total energy of 1349 J.

resultsSignificant group (experimental, control) × time (pre-PBM, post-PBM) interactions were found for the flanker and category fluency test scores. Specifically, only the older adults who received real PBM exhibited significant improvements in their action selection, inhibition ability, and mental flexibility after vs before PBM.

conclusionsOur findings support that PBM may enhance the frontal brain functions of older adults in a safe and cost-effective manner.

Indexed as

AgedAttentionCognitionExecutive FunctionFemaleFrontal LobeHumansLow-Level Light TherapyMalecategory fluency testEriksen flanker testexecutive functionlow-level laser light therapyphotobiomodulationrandomized sham-controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID30474306
PMCPMC6333495
OpenAlexW2903558731

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.