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Photobiomodulation, Heart Rate Variability, and Acute Stress
Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Summary
Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a form of light therapy that uses red or near-infrared light to influence biological processes. In prior studies, PBM has been shown to improve various physiological functions, including tissue repair, inflammation, and cognitive performance. However, little is known about its impact on autonomic nervous system regulation. Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of PBM on vagal activity, as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), in healthy adults undergoing experimental stress.
Official title: The Effect of Photobiomodulation on Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Adults Subjected to the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST): A Sham-controlled, Within-subject Study
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 64 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
40
Start Date
2026-04-01
Completion Date
2027-08-31
Last Updated
2026-03-17
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Vielight Vagus
In this study, PBM will be administered using a transcutaneous cervical plus intranasal PBM device (Vielight Vagus, Ontario, Canada). The transcutaneous component of the device is designed to be placed bilaterally over the lateral aspect of the neck and delivers an irradiance of 810nm at 50mW/cm2, while the intranasal component is designed to be inserted into the nasal cavity and provides an irradiance of 810nm at 25mW/cm2. The pulse frequency will be set to 100 Hz and 50% duty cycle.
Sham Vielight Vagus
For sham intervention, the same PBM device will be placed on the participants in the same manner, but without emitting light to ensure blinding of the intervention.