Photobiomodulation therapy increases neural stem cell pool in aged 3xTg-AD mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Gerontology

Background:

• Current Alzheimer's Disease (AD) treatments focus on amyloid-β (Aβ) removal, offering limited efficacy in slowing disease progression.
• Cognitive decline in AD is linked to damage in cellular systems, including adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), which is impaired early in the disease.
• Preserved AHN correlates with cognitive resilience against AD neuropathology, highlighting neurogenesis as a therapeutic target.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy on advanced Alzheimer's Disease (AD) neuropathology in a mouse model.
• To assess PBM's potential to enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and mitigate AD-related pathology.

Main Methods:

• Aged transgenic 3xTg-AD mice (15-17 months old) were treated with 670 nm LED light Photobiomodulation (PBM) or SHAM therapy for one month.
• Neuropathological assessments were conducted post-treatment to evaluate the impact of PBM on AD pathology and neurogenesis.

Main Results:

• One month of PBM therapy significantly reduced hyperphosphorylated tau burden in aged 3xTg-AD mice compared to SHAM-treated controls.
• PBM treatment partially rescued adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in the aged AD mouse model.
• These findings suggest PBM can counteract key aspects of AD neuropathology.

Conclusions:

• Photobiomodulation (PBM) demonstrates potential as a non-invasive therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
• PBM may help preserve adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and reduce cognitive dysfunction in moderate to advanced AD.
• Further research into PBM for AD treatment is warranted.