title: Transcranial low-level laser therapy enhances learning, memory, and neuroprogenitor cells after traumatic brain injury in mice.
abstract: The use of transcranial low-level laser (light) therapy (tLLLT) to treat stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) is attracting increasing attention. We previously showed that LLLT using an 810-nm laser 4 h after controlled cortical impact (CCI)-TBI in mice could significantly improve the neurological severity score, decrease lesion volume, and reduce Fluoro-Jade staining for degenerating neurons. We obtained some evidence for neurogenesis in the region of the lesion. We now tested the hypothesis that tLLLT can improve performance on the Morris water maze (MWM, learning, and memory) and increase neurogenesis in the hippocampus and subventricular zone (SVZ) after CCI-TBI in mice. One and (to a greater extent) three daily laser treatments commencing 4-h post-TBI improved neurological performance as measured by wire grip and motion test especially at 3 and 4 weeks post-TBI. Improvements in visible and hidden platform latency and probe tests in MWM were seen at 4 weeks. Caspase-3 expression was lower in the lesion region at 4 days post-TBI. Double-stained BrdU-NeuN (neuroprogenitor cells) was increased in the dentate gyrus and SVZ. Increases in double-cortin (DCX) and TUJ-1 were also seen. Our study results suggest that tLLLT may improve TBI both by reducing cell death in the lesion and by stimulating neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Nanning 530021, ChinabWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatescHarvard Medical School.
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatescHarvard Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vatansever
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatescHarvard Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United StatesdGuangxi Medical University, First Affiliated College.
authors.forename: Liyi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United StatescHarvard Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United StateseHarvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technolo.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000528:radiation effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014404:Tubulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000714847:Dcx protein, mouse; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D005452:Fluoresceins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C492380:NeuN protein, mouse; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; C435731:fluoro jade; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3