TransPhoM-DS Study Grant Report: Rationale and Protocol for Investigating the Efficacy of Low-Power Transcranial Photobiomodulation on Language, Executive Function, Attention, and Memory in Down Syndrome
Willians Fernando Vieira,
David Richer Araujo Coelho,
Maia Gersten,
Aura Maria Hurtado Puerto,
Stefani Kalli,
Guillermo Gonzalez-Garibay,
Kayla McEachern,
Julie A. Clancy,
Brian G. Skotko,
Leonard Abbeduto,
Angela John Thurman,
Margaret B. Pulsifer,
Elizabeth Corcoran,
Anita E. Saltmarche,
Margaret A. Naeser,
Paolo Cassano
Affiliations
Willians Fernando Vieira
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
David Richer Araujo Coelho
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Maia Gersten
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Aura Maria Hurtado Puerto
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Stefani Kalli
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Guillermo Gonzalez-Garibay
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Kayla McEachern
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Julie A. Clancy
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Brian G. Skotko
Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Leonard Abbeduto
MIND Institute & Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
Angela John Thurman
MIND Institute & Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
Margaret B. Pulsifer
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Elizabeth Corcoran
Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation, London P.O. Box 576, UK
Anita E. Saltmarche
Saltmarche Health and Associates, Toronto, ON L9W 3Z9, Canada
Margaret A. Naeser
VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02132, USA
Paolo Cassano
Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Down syndrome (DS) is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability globally, affecting about 1 in every 800 births. Individuals with DS often face various neuropsychiatric conditions alongside intellectual disabilities due to altered brain development. Despite the diverse phenotypic expressions of DS, typical physical characteristics frequently influence language development and acquisition. EEG studies have identified abnormal oscillatory patterns in individuals with DS. Emerging interventions targeting the enhancement of gamma (40 Hz) neuronal oscillations show potential for improving brain electrical activity and cognitive functions in this population. However, effective cognitive interventions for DS remain scarce. Extensive research indicates that transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM) with near-infrared (NIR) light can penetrate deeply into the cerebral cortex, modulate cortical excitability, and enhance cerebral perfusion and oxygenation. Furthermore, t-PBM has been shown to improve cognitive functions such as language, attention, inhibition, learning, and memory, including working memory. This study presents the rationale and design of an ongoing randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial aimed at assessing the effectiveness of t-PBM using NIR light in enhancing the language abilities of individuals with DS.
