Effect of Femtosecond Laser Radiation on Cognitive Abilities in Mice

The effect of low-intensity femtosecond laser radiation (200 fs, 525 nm, 5 mW) on cognitive abilities of mice at late stages after exposure was studied. Open field and Barnes maze tests were performed 5 months after a single irradiation to assess general activity, anxiety level, and spatial learning ability. Irradiated animals retained normal motor skills, did not show anxiety, and demonstrated stable long-term memory when performing spatial learning tasks. Irradiated mice showed no changes in the model of locomotor and psychoemotional behavior or disturbances in spatial learning and memory, while they better preserved the memory trace on the 9th day after training compared to control animals. The obtained results indicate the potential of photobiomodulation with femtosecond pulses as a promising non-drug method for the prevention and correction of cognitive impairment, including those caused by radiation therapy.