# Therapeutic Potential of Photobiomodulation in Early Recovery After Experimental Spinal Cord Injury in Rats: Histological and Biomechanical Analysis

## TL;DR

This study shows that photobiomodulation can reduce spinal cord damage and improve recovery in rats, suggesting it could be a promising noninvasive treatment for spinal injuries.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates PBM's efficacy in early SCI recovery through combined biomechanical and histological analysis in a rat model.

## Key findings

- PBM reduced secondary spinal cord damage by 33.3 ± 5.5 compared to 53.9 ± 7.0 in the SCI group.
- PBM preserved neural structures and improved gait patterns similar to the control group.
- The results suggest PBM is a promising noninvasive therapy for SCI recovery.

## Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to severe functional deficits, underscoring the critical need for new therapies. This study evaluated the efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) as an early, noninvasive treatment for induced SCI, using specific parameters (808 nm, 72 J/cm2, 100 mW). A total of 15 rats were divided into Control (C), SCI, and PBM groups. Efficacy was determined by an integrated approach, correlating ground reaction force (GRF) with quantitative histological assessment. The PBM group showed a significant reduction of secondary damage (33.3 ± 5.5 vs. 53.9 ± 7.0 in the SCI group; p = 0.0002) and preserved neural structure. This tissue preservation aligns with the GRF analysis, which demonstrated that the PBM group recovered gait patterns similar to the Control group. In conclusion, PBM effectively mitigates necrosis aerea, maintaining tissue integrity, improving functional recovery, and reinforcing the PBM's therapeutic potential as a promising translatable strategy for outcomes after SCI. Further research should include immunostaining of cells and larger samples.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) cause severe motor and sensory deficits, with limited treatment options. This study demonstrates that early application of photobiomodulation (PBM) can protect spinal cord tissue and accelerate functional recovery in a preclinical model, which integrates biomechanical analysis with histomorphological characteristics of the tissue post‐SCI. The results showed that PBM preserves neural structures, reduces tissue damage, and improves gait performance, highlighting PBM as a safe, noninvasive therapy with potential to enhance recovery after SCI in future translational research.