Near Infrared Transcranial Treatment Improves Some Disorder of Consciousness Patients

Researchers compared “frontal near infrared laser stimulation (N-LT)” [photobiomodulation] with transcranial focused shock wave therapy (F-SWT) on patients with severe disorders of consciousness (DOC). Light therapy subjects received 10 minute infrared sessions of 0.1 mJ/mm2 five times per week for four weeks. A patient in the shock wave group suffered a focal seizure in week 3. Both groups had some members with significant improvements on the revised Coma Recovery Scale (r-CRS), but there were no significant differences between the groups.