Remote Photobiomodulation Ameliorates Behavioral And Neuropathological Outcomes In A Rat Model Of Repeated Closed Head Injury

This study investigated the preventive effects of remote photobiomodulation (PBM) on brain injury and behavioral deficits in a rat model of repeated closed-head injuries (rCHI). Using an 808 nm laser, PBM was applied to the lungs of rats over 20 days. The treatment significantly improved depressive-like behaviors, motor dysfunction, and social interaction impairments, while enhancing grip strength and reducing neuronal damage, apoptosis, and degeneration. Additionally, PBM altered the lung microbiome, enriching lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis pathways, which may contribute to neuroprotection. The study suggests that remote PBM could be a promising preventive strategy for rCHI, offering neuroprotective benefits by mitigating microglia and astrocyte hyperactivation and reducing excessive synaptic phagocytosis.