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The Effect of Near-infrared Light Therapy on Brain Function and Cognition in Young and Older Adults

Age-specific Neurovascular Effects of Transcranial Photobiomodulation

Who can join

Ages 21 to 85 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age: 21-85 years of age
* Adequate hearing and visual acuity to participate in the examinations
* Ability to read and write in English
* Competence to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active CNS disease including multiple sclerosis, uncontrolled seizures, active brain cancer
* Cerebrovascular accident other than TIA within 60 days prior to Visit 0
* Major psychiatric disease, including major depression not currently controlled on medications, alcohol or drug abuse
* Participant currently uses commercial brain stimulation / neuromodulation device or an experimental device as part of a research study, e.g. tDCS, tACS, TBS, DBS, TMS, TPBM, etc.
* Participant currently takes dietary supplements with an expected cerebrovascular benefit, such as NAD- or NR-supplement, L-citrulline, urolithin
* Unstable medical condition, including uncontrolled diabetes, chronic heart issues, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Stage 2 hypertension uncontrolled by medication (\>160/100 mmHg)
* Any other medical condition or medication which, in the opinion of investigator, would render the patient inappropriate or too unstable to complete the study protocol.
* Pregnancy or trying to become pregnant in the next 1 months (self-reported), breastfeeding

About the study

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to test whether transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique using near-infrared light, can improve brain blood flow regulation (neurovascular coupling) and cognitive function in older adults.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does tPBM enhance neurovascular coupling responses during memory and finger tapping tasks? * Are these improvements linked to better cognitive performance and lower levels of brain inflammation and oxidative stress?

Researchers will compare an active tPBM treatment arm to a sham treatment arm to see if tPBM leads to measurable improvements in brain activity and cognitive function compared to no active stimulation.

Participants will:

* Receive either active tPBM or sham stimulation sessions for 4 weeks, every other day using a portable intervention device. * Complete questionnaires and an iPAD-based cognitive testing protocol * Complete memory and motor tasks while their brain activity is measured using non-invasive techniques: simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler (TCD) flowmetry. * Retinal vessel reactivity will be measured during flickering light stimulus using a special camera (dynamic vessel analysis, DVA). * Provide blood samples to test for biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and brain cell damage.

What is being tested

• transcranial photobiomodulation (device)

Sponsor: University of Oklahoma · Participants: 30 · Started: Oct 1, 2025

Contact the study team

• Peter Mukli, MD, PhD · Phone: +1 (405) 271-8001
• Norbert S Dosa, MD · Phone: +1 (405) 271-8130

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07209683

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.