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Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report
Saltmarche AE, Naeser MA, Ho KF, Hamblin MR, Lim L.. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 2017-02-10
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective This study investigated whether patients with mild to moderately severe dementia or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) Baseline scores of 10-24 would improve when treated with near-infrared photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy. Background Animal studies have presented the potential of PBM for AD. Dysregulation of the brain's default mode network (DMN) has been associated with AD, presenting the DMN as an identifiable target for PBM.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Saltmarche, A. E., Naeser, M. A., Ho, K. F., Hamblin, M. R., & Lim, L. (2017). Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report. Photomedicine and laser surgery. https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2016.4227
Vancouver
Saltmarche AE, Naeser MA, Ho KF, Hamblin MR, Lim L. Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report. Photomedicine and laser surgery. 2017. doi:10.1089/pho.2016.4227. PMID: 28186867.
BibTeX
@article{saltmarche2017-28186867,
author = {Saltmarche, A. E. and Naeser, M. A. and Ho, K. F. and Hamblin, M. R. and Lim, L.},
title = {{Significant Improvement in Cognition in Mild to Moderately Severe Dementia Cases Treated with Transcranial Plus Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Case Series Report}},
journal = {Photomedicine and laser surgery},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1089/pho.2016.4227},
pmid = {28186867},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2016.4227}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Background Animal studies have presented the potential of PBM for AD.
- Dysregulation of the brain's default mode network (DMN) has been associated with AD, presenting the DMN as an identifiable target for PBM.
- Materials and methods The study used 810 nm, 10 Hz pulsed, light-emitting diode devices combining transcranial plus intranasal PBM to treat the cortical nodes of the DMN (bilateral mesial prefrontal cortex, precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, angular gyrus, and hippocampus).
- Five patients with mild to moderately severe cognitive impairment were entered into 12 weeks of active treatment as well as a follow-up no-treatment, 4-week period.
Why it matters
This case series reported cognitive improvement in five patients with mild to moderately severe dementia treated with transcranial plus intranasal photobiomodulation. It is a very small, preliminary case series, so the findings cannot establish that this therapy treats or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Photomedicine and laser surgery) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Photomedicine and Laser Surgery: journal h-index 102 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 299 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 27.2 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 103 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Lew Lim: h-index 9 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28186867) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1089/pho.2016.4227
- PubMed: 28186867
- Original source →
- Free full text: Photomedicine and Laser Surgery →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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