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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV0901

Noninvasive brain stimulation for PTSD: a systematic review of photobiomodulation research

NON-INVASIVE BRAIN STIMULATION FOR PTSD: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PHOTOBIOMODULATION RESEARCH

This review of nine studies suggests that photobiomodulation is a promising option for post-traumatic stress disorder in both animal and human studies, with no serious adverse effects reported; however, the evidence is based on very small samples and nonstandardized protocols.

The aims of the review were to synthesize the available evidence on the use of photobiomodulation (PBM) in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), evaluate study designs and outcomes, and identify gaps in the literature. PubMed, Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane were searched, with the search completed in March 2025. Screening was conducted using Covidence; title and abstract screening, full-text review, and data extraction were performed by two members of the research team. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2005 and 2025 that examined the effects of PBM on mental health outcomes, used a PTSD model in animal studies, and included at least one participant with PTSD symptoms in human studies. Of the 8933 records retrieved from the databases, 2860 were screened, 78 full texts were assessed, and 9 studies were included in the review (4 animal and 5 human studies). All animal studies were conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats, and single prolonged stress was the most commonly used PTSD model. Treatment ranged from a single dose to daily treatment for one week; laser wavelengths were 808 or 810 nm, and two studies used continuous-wave and pulsed modes. The most common application site was the shaved scalp, while one study used the ST36 acupuncture point. The human studies consisted of a case report, a case series, and pilot and feasibility studies, with sample sizes ranging from 2 to 11. Most involved samples with chronic traumatic brain injury, one involved a sample with major depression, and all included adults. Laser wavelengths ranged from 633 to 980 nm, most commonly 810 nm, and treatment was applied to multiple sites on the scalp. Three studies included PTSD outcomes. The findings indicate improvements in mental health outcomes, such as reduced anxiety-like behavior, in the PBM groups in animal studies, and generally positive mental health outcomes in human studies. They also suggest that effects may diminish over time after treatment is discontinued and that some participants were able to safely administer treatment at home over extended periods. No safety concerns or serious adverse effects were reported. The authors conclude that PBM is promising for PTSD, but that rigorous randomized controlled trials establishing standardized treatment protocols and clearly defined outcome measures are needed.

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