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Review
. 2024 Mar;28(5):664-668.
doi: 10.1177/10870547231222599. Epub 2024 Feb 7.

Dr. Joseph Biederman's Enduring Legacy: Illuminating the Path to Addressing Autistic Traits in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Transcranial Photobiomodulation

Tolga Atilla Ceranoglu  1 , Chloe Hutt Vater  1
Affiliations
Review

Dr. Joseph Biederman's Enduring Legacy: Illuminating the Path to Addressing Autistic Traits in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Transcranial Photobiomodulation

Tolga Atilla Ceranoglu et al. J Atten Disord. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To review the existing literature on transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment effects on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in search for an effective treatment of a symptom cluster identified largely by contributions from late Dr. Biederman who asserted that they frequently present with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Method: A survey of two databases, PubMed and PsycINFO, for clinical trials reporting on tPBM treatment in ASD was performed. Identified manuscripts that met eligibility criteria were then reviewed.

Results: Three original manuscripts reporting findings on a heterogenous group of study methods met the eligibility criteria. Despite the heterogenous nature of study designs, findings from all three studies reported tPBM treatment to be associated with improvements in ASD symptoms. No serious or treatment limiting adverse events were reported.

Conclusions: A nascent body of research suggests further clinical studies investigating efficacy of tPBM in treatment of ASD symptoms should be supported.

Keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; autism; autistic traits; near-infrared light; neuromodulation; photobiomodulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr. Ceranoglu reports financial support for research from Gerstner Family Foundation, Demarest Lloyd, Jr. Foundation, non-financial support for research from Niraxx, Inc. Dr. Ceranoglu is a member of the Board of Directors at Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health.Chloe Hutt Vater has no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

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