• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.195-200
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• 2021

Evidence shows that nerve injury triggers mitochondrial dysfunction during axonal degeneration. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in axonal regeneration. Therefore, normalizing mitochondrial energy metabolism may represent an elective therapeutic strategy contributing to nerve recovery after damage. Photobiomodulation (PBM) induces a photobiological effect by stimulating mitochondrial activity. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates that PBM improves ATP generation and modulates many of the secondary mediators [reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and calcium ions (Ca²⁺)], which in turn activate multiple pathways involved in axonal regeneration.