Transcranial photobiomodulation enhances visual working memory capacity in humans

Abstract Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is a novel and noninvasive intervention, which has shown promise for improving cognitive performances. Whether tPBM can modulate brain activity and thereby enhance working memory (WM) capacity in humans remains unclear. In this study, we delivered double-blind and sham-control tPBM with different wavelengths to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in 90 healthy participants and conducted four electroencephalography (EEG) experiments to investigate whether individual visual working memory capacity and related neural response could be modulated. We found that 1064 nm tPBM applied to the right PFC has both a substantial impact on visual working memory capacity and occipitoparietal contralateral delay activity (CDA), no matter orientation or color feature of the memorized objects. Importantly, the CDA set-size effect during the retention mediated the effect between 1064 nm tPBM and subsequent WM performance. However, these behavioral benefits and the corresponding changes of CDA set-size effect were absent with tPBM at 852 nm wavelength or with the stimulation on the left PFC. Our findings provide converging evidence that 1064 nm tPBM applied on the right PFC can improve visual working memory capacity, as well as explain the individual’s electrophysiological changes about behavioral benefits.