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The Effect of Near-infrared Light Therapy on Brain Function and Cognition in Young and Older Adults

University of Oklahoma · NCT07209683

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 21–85 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
30
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
October 1, 2025
Record last updated
February 6, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to test whether transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique using near-infrared light, can improve brain blood flow regulation (neurovascular coupling) and cognitive function in older adults.

The main questions it aims to answer are

  • Does tPBM enhance neurovascular coupling responses during memory and finger tapping tasks?
  • Are these improvements linked to better cognitive performance and lower levels of brain inflammation and oxidative stress?

Researchers will compare an active tPBM treatment arm to a sham treatment arm to see if tPBM leads to measurable improvements in brain activity and cognitive function compared to no active stimulation.

Participants will

  • Receive either active tPBM or sham stimulation sessions for 4 weeks, every other day using a portable intervention device.
  • Complete questionnaires and an iPAD-based cognitive testing protocol
  • Complete memory and motor tasks while their brain activity is measured using non-invasive techniques: simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler (TCD) flowmetry.
  • Retinal vessel reactivity will be measured during flickering light stimulus using a special camera (dynamic vessel analysis, DVA).
  • Provide blood samples to test for biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and brain cell damage.

Being studied: transcranial photobiomodulation

Conditions: Cognition; Neurovascular Coupling Mechanism and Cognitive Function; Neurovascular Control; Brain Aging; Brain Activity

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age: 21-85 years of age
  • Adequate hearing and visual acuity to participate in the examinations
  • Ability to read and write in English
  • Competence to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Active CNS disease including multiple sclerosis, uncontrolled seizures, active brain cancer
  • Cerebrovascular accident other than TIA within 60 days prior to Visit 0
  • Major psychiatric disease, including major depression not currently controlled on medications, alcohol or drug abuse
  • Participant currently uses commercial brain stimulation / neuromodulation device or an experimental device as part of a research study, e.g. tDCS, tACS, TBS, DBS, TMS, TPBM, etc.
  • Participant currently takes dietary supplements with an expected cerebrovascular benefit, such as NAD- or NR-supplement, L-citrulline, urolithin
  • Unstable medical condition, including uncontrolled diabetes, chronic heart issues, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Stage 2 hypertension uncontrolled by medication (>160/100 mmHg)
  • Any other medical condition or medication which, in the opinion of investigator, would render the patient inappropriate or too unstable to complete the study protocol.
  • Pregnancy or trying to become pregnant in the next 1 months (self-reported), breastfeeding

Recruiting US locations

  • University of Oklahoma Health Campus

    Oklahoma City, OK 73104

    Site contact: Peter Mukli Mukli, MD PhD · 405-271-8001 · peter-mukli@ou.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Peter Mukli, MD, PhD · +1 (405) 271-8001 · peter-mukli@ou.edu
  • Norbert S Dosa, MD · +1 (405) 271-8130 · norbert-dosa@ou.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in Oklahoma →
The Effect of Near-infrared Light Therapy on Brain Function and… (NCT07209683) | Bored Studies