Transcranial photobiomodulation therapy improves cognitive test scores in dogs with presumptive canine cognitive dysfunction: A case series of five dogs

Abstract

Background: Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is considered the canine version of human Alzheimer's disease (AD). As with AD, CCD is a multifactorial and progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which effective treatment options are continuously being sought. Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBMT) or transcranial laser therapy has shown promise as a treatment for cognitive impairment in rodent AD investigations and several human AD clinical trials.

Aim: The purpose of this prospective case series was to evaluate the effect of tPBMT on cognitive scores when applied to senior dogs with CCD over a 60-day period.

Methods: Five senior (>9-year-old) dogs with moderate (16-33) to severe (>33) cognitive scores were enrolled. Owners were instructed on the use of a Class IM laser device and administered a specific dose of laser energy transcranially to both sides of the patient's head, three times per week for one month and two times per week for a second month. No additional therapeutic measures aimed at enhancing cognitive ability were permitted during the 60-day evaluation time. Baseline cognitive scores were compared with scores obtained at 30- and 60-days post-treatment.

Results: Cognitive scores showed improvement in 4/5 dogs at 30 days (27.6% reduction) and all dogs at 60 days (43.4% reduction). There were no adverse effects attributable to tPBMT.

Conclusion: Results of our small case series suggest that tPBMT may improve cognitive scores in dogs with moderate to severe CCD by 30 days of application and the improvement is sustained at 60 days. Further studies are needed to ascertain optimal tPBMT protocols for CCD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s; Canine; Cognitive; Laser; Photobiomodulation; Transcranial.

Fig. 1.. Illustration depicting tPBMT delivery to a dog’s brain.

Fig. 2.. DISHAA scores in five dogs treated with tPBMT. Scores at 30 and 60 days differed from day 0; scores at 60 days differed from scores at 30 days.