Background: Parkinson’s disease relentlessly progressive, with deterioration in the clinical signs and symptoms expected and anticipated with an inevitable downward trajectory in motor and non-motor symptoms, causing significant impacts on quality-of-life in all patients. Photobiomodulation is the use of non-thermal light to affect cellular processes. It which has been demonstrated safe and effective over many years for multiple conditions, including pain, tissue repair, inflammation and neurological conditions.
Aim: to assess the safety and effectiveness of continued at-home photobiomodulation to the abdomen, neck and head to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease over a three-year period.
Methods: 12 participants were treated 3 times per week for 12-weeks in the clinic using LED treatment to the head and laser treatment to the abdomen and neck. After 12-weeks the participants were supplied with equivalent portable devices and continued treatment at home. Participants were assessed at baseline, and after 12-weeks, 1, 2 and 3 years of treatment. Outcome measures included measures of cognition, balance, mobility and fine motor.
Results: Participants were compliant with treatment and negative side-effects were reported. Participants showed improvement in many outcome measures during the 12-week clinic period of the trial, with individual variation in response. Eight participants continued treatment for up to 3-years, with maintenance of improvements or continued improvement. Three of the participants regained their sense of smell.
Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that photobiomodulation is a safe and effective treatment for symptoms of Parkinson’s and that a larger, long-term, prospective randomised trial is warranted.