ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will address the potential use of near-infrared
radiation (NIR) as a future treatment for major depressive disorder
(MDD). The use of near-infrared light as a transcranial treatment
for brain disorders is quite recent, and most of the research in
this arena has been conducted in the past 10 years. There are
currently no psychiatric indications for NIR; at this point, its use
for CNS disorders is strictly experimental. Nonetheless, emerging
preliminary data on the efficacy of NIR in MDD appear to be
promising. We will start by describing some of the physical and
biological properties of NIR, with a primary focus on cellular
metabolism (the putative mechanism of its effects in MDD). We will
then review data suggestingMDDmay be characterized by abnormal
brain bioenergetic metabolism. Finally, we will examine the clinical
evidence on the effects of NIR on mood and of its efficacy as an
antidepressant. We will first review indirect evidence on the effect
of NIR on mood regulation and then we will discuss studies where
depressed subjectswere treatedwith single ormultiple NIR sessions
and with continuous or pulse NIR.
