904-Exploring the Effect of Combined Transcranial and Intra-Oral Photobiomodulation Therapy
Study Overview
Description: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study designed to understand if combined transcranial and intra-oral Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy can produce clinically significant differences in physical and cognitive performance measures for people with Parkinson's disease (PD), and what frequency of treatment is necessary to initiate clinical change.
Background: Neuroprotection against PD degeneration by PBM has been reported in animal models, but no true placebo-controlled human studies had been published.
Objective: To understand if PBM therapy can produce clinically significant differences in physical performance measures in people with PD; and what frequency of treatment is necessary to initiate clinical change.
Results:
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) remained stable between the start and end of the study.
No measures demonstrated statistically significant changes.
The spiral (writing) test and the dynamic step test were most sensitive to change in a positive direction.
The 9-hole peg test demonstrated a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) worthy of further investigation in a larger trial.
A placebo effect was noted.
Conclusion: The results support the notion that combined transcranial and intra-oral PBM therapy needs to be applied at least 2 to 3 times per week for at least four weeks before some improvement in outcome measures becomes evident. Longer courses of treatment may be required.
