Photobiomodulation (tPBM): what near-infrared light is and how it's used in brain wellness

What photobiomodulation is

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is the use of red or near-infrared light, at low intensities, to influence biological processes in cells. Unlike surgical lasers, it doesn't cut or significantly heat tissue. It works with low energy, at the cellular level.

When the light is applied to the head, we talk about transcranial photobiomodulation, or tPBM.

How it works

Near-infrared light passes through skin and bone

Visible light is largely absorbed or reflected by the skin. Near-infrared light, just beyond the visible spectrum, can penetrate deeper into tissue, including through bone, as far as the outer layers of the brain.

The mitochondria absorb the light

Inside cells are the mitochondria, the "power stations" that produce ATP, the molecule cells use as a source of energy. One of the mitochondrial enzymes, cytochrome c oxidase, can absorb certain wavelengths of red and near-infrared light.

Energy, blood flow, signalling

Research has investigated several possible effects of this absorption: more efficient production of cellular energy, changes in local blood flow and in cell signalling. The exact mechanisms are still being studied.

The brain uses a huge share of the body's energy. That's why neurons' cellular energy is a central topic in tPBM research.

What research says

Transcranial photobiomodulation has been studied in different contexts: attention, working memory, reaction time, healthy ageing and recovery. In healthy adults, some studies have reported improvements in certain measures of cognitive performance after near-infrared light was applied to the frontal area. Other studies have investigated the effects in older adults, with promising results on certain measures.

The honest conclusion: tPBM is an active area of research, with interesting results, but often with small studies and differing protocols. Studied doesn't mean guaranteed. On our research page we have gathered a selection of studies, presented editorially.

What a tPBM application looks like

• The device is placed on the head, with the light sources over the forehead and scalp.
• The light is warm, and the sensation is, at most, a gentle warmth.
• There is no electric current and no unpleasant sensation.
• The eyes must not be directly exposed to the light source, and application follows the device's conditions of use.

For many people, tPBM is the "quietest" of the technologies: you feel almost nothing, just the light and the warmth.

tPBM in NeuroFit experiences

At NeuroFit, tPBM appears in three circuits, with different roles:

Focus

In Focus, tPBM is combined with neurofeedback and tDCS. Near-infrared light reaches the frontal cortex, the area involved in attention and planning. It is studied for its role in neuronal energy, in the context of concentration and clarity.

Reset

In Reset, together with taVNS and CES, tPBM is used for the energy component of recovery. Demanding periods use up exactly the resource that near-infrared light is studied for: cellular energy.

Longevity

In Longevity, together with neurofeedback and taVNS, tPBM is the most studied NeuroFit technology in the context of healthy ageing. In older adults with memory complaints, some studies with repeated sessions have reported improvements in cognitive performance. At NeuroFit, however, Longevity is a wellness experience, not a treatment.

What makes the difference: regularity

Most tPBM studies use repeated sessions over several weeks. That's one more argument for the idea of a routine rather than a one-off session. At NeuroFit, credit-based memberships let you include the experiences that use tPBM in a regular rhythm.

Safety

tPBM is non-invasive and generally well tolerated. As with all technologies, we carry out a safety screening before the first session. Among other things, we check for light sensitivity, skin conditions in the application area, pregnancy and medication that can increase sensitivity to light.

Myths about photobiomodulation

"It's the same as a red bulb at home"

No. Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths, intensities and durations studied in research. An ordinary bulb doesn't have the same characteristics.

"More light means a bigger effect"

Research suggests that, in photobiomodulation, dose matters, and more doesn't automatically mean better.

"It burns or heats the brain"

No. The intensities used are low. The sensation is at most a gentle warmth on the skin.

Red light vs. near-infrared light

Photobiomodulation uses two areas of the light spectrum:

• red light, which is visible, penetrates less deeply and is used mainly for skin applications;
• near-infrared light, invisible or almost invisible to the eye, penetrates deeper into tissue and is the one mainly studied for transcranial applications, at the level of the brain.

tPBM devices use wavelengths chosen to pass through the scalp and bone. So the simple fact that a light is red doesn't make it suitable for transcranial photobiomodulation.

The brain and energy

The brain makes up only a small part of the body's weight, but uses a disproportionately large share of its energy. Neurons constantly need energy to transmit signals, to repair themselves and to maintain the connections between them. That's why neuronal mitochondria and the way they produce energy are an important subject in research on ageing, fatigue and cognitive performance.

Photobiomodulation starts exactly here: if light can influence the energy processes in mitochondria, it may also influence how neurons sustain their activity. It's a hypothesis under active study, not a certainty.

How to choose a place for tPBM

If you want to try photobiomodulation, ask:

• which device is used and what its parameters are;
• whether a safety screening is carried out;
• how the eyes are protected during application;
• in what context it is used and what results are promised (a promise of a cure is a warning sign).

A Longevity session, step by step

1. A short check-in about how you're feeling.
2. You sit in the chair, and your phone stays aside.
3. The tPBM device is placed on your head, along with the neurofeedback sensors.
4. The taVNS electrode is positioned in your ear.
5. For 50–60 minutes: warm light, music, quiet.
6. At the end, a few minutes to come back before you leave.

tPBM and routine

Most studies on photobiomodulation use repeated sessions over several weeks. That's an argument for a routine rather than isolated experiences. At NeuroFit, tPBM is present in three of the four experiences, so with a membership you'll come across it often, whether you choose Focus, Reset or Longevity.

An example month with the Plus membership: two Focus sessions in the weeks full of decisions, two Reset sessions after intense periods and four Longevity sessions as a weekly ritual. tPBM is part of each of them, in different combinations.

What tPBM is not

• it isn't a treatment for neurological conditions at NeuroFit;
• it doesn't replace sleep, movement or nutrition;
• it isn't surgical laser therapy;
• it doesn't promise guaranteed results.

It is a studied, non-invasive technology used within a brain wellness experience.

Frequently asked questions

What is tPBM?

Transcranial photobiomodulation: applying low-intensity near-infrared light to the forehead and scalp to influence energy processes in cells. It is non-invasive.

What do I feel during a tPBM session?

At most a gentle warmth. There is no current and no unpleasant sensation.

Which NeuroFit experiences use tPBM?

Focus, Reset and Longevity, combined with other non-invasive technologies, after the safety screening.

Is tPBM a treatment?

At NeuroFit, no. It is part of a brain wellness experience. Research studies it in several contexts, but we don't promise results and we don't treat conditions.