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1- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
2- Electrophysiology Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Electrophysiology Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Background: Aging is strongly associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline, which collectively contribute to neurodegenerative processes. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) using 40-Hz light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has emerged as a non-invasive approach with potential neuroprotective effects, but its efficacy in aging models remains insufficiently characterized.
Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into control and D-galactose-treated groups, with or without 40-Hz LED exposure. Aging was induced by daily intraperitoneal injections of D-galactose (200 mg/kg) for eight weeks. PBMT was administered three times per week (15 min/session, 40 Hz). Behavioral performance was assessed using the light/dark transition and novel object recognition tests. Oxidative and inflammatory markers were analyzed by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Histological evaluation of hippocampal CA1 neurons was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Results: D-galactose administration induced anxiety-like behavior, impaired recognition memory, reduced SOD activity, increased MDA levels, and elevated TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations, accompanied by neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus. Chronic 40-Hz LED PBMT significantly ameliorated these effects by improving cognitive and behavioral performance, restoring antioxidant capacity, reducing neuroinflammatory cytokines, and preserving hippocampal neuronal morphology.
Conclusions: Chronic 40-Hz LED PBMT exerts potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, mitigating cognitive and histopathological alterations associated with D-galactose-induced aging. These findings suggest that 40-Hz LED PBMT represents a promising, safe, and non-invasive strategy for attenuating age-related neurodegenerative changes.
Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into control and D-galactose-treated groups, with or without 40-Hz LED exposure. Aging was induced by daily intraperitoneal injections of D-galactose (200 mg/kg) for eight weeks. PBMT was administered three times per week (15 min/session, 40 Hz). Behavioral performance was assessed using the light/dark transition and novel object recognition tests. Oxidative and inflammatory markers were analyzed by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Histological evaluation of hippocampal CA1 neurons was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Results: D-galactose administration induced anxiety-like behavior, impaired recognition memory, reduced SOD activity, increased MDA levels, and elevated TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations, accompanied by neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus. Chronic 40-Hz LED PBMT significantly ameliorated these effects by improving cognitive and behavioral performance, restoring antioxidant capacity, reducing neuroinflammatory cytokines, and preserving hippocampal neuronal morphology.
Conclusions: Chronic 40-Hz LED PBMT exerts potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, mitigating cognitive and histopathological alterations associated with D-galactose-induced aging. These findings suggest that 40-Hz LED PBMT represents a promising, safe, and non-invasive strategy for attenuating age-related neurodegenerative changes.
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Cellular and molecular Neuroscience
Received: 2026/01/31 | Accepted: 2026/07/22
Received: 2026/01/31 | Accepted: 2026/07/22
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