Transcranial Photobiomodulation in Anxiety Disorders
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, PhD
- Where
- Austin, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 280 people, planned
- Started
- 1 Sept 2025
- Expected to end
- Sept 2028
- Type of study
- Interventional, 4 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Attention bias assessment and modification
- Transcranial photobiomodulation
- Record updated
- 14 May 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years to 100 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Can take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 9 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- 18 years of age and older
- State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) questionnaire score between 40-59 (indicates moderate sub-clinical anxiety)
- Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score between 1-9 (indicates minimal to mild sub-clinical depression)
Who cannot take part
- Medication instability (i.e., medication change within 6 weeks)
- Currently receiving tPBM treatment
- STAI score less than 40 or greater than 59
- PHQ-9 score greater than 9
- Indicated suicidal ideation
- Current pregnancy
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 100 years old?
Where in United States
- The University of Texas at AustinAustin, United StatesContact: Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, Ph.D.Taking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The investigators have previously shown that safe, non-invasive methods of brain stimulation such as the administration of transcranial infrared light can result in improvements to cognition and emotion. The investigators hypothesize that transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) can be used in conjunction with attention bias assessment and modification to reduce anxiety symptoms in individuals with sub-clinical anxiety.
The 4 groups in the trial
- Arm 1: attention bias assessment (ABA), transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM)Existing treatment, for comparison
Participants will receive attention bias assessment (ABA) in conjunction with active transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment to the forehead.
Treatment: Attention bias assessment and modification and Transcranial photobiomodulation
- Arm 2: attention bias assessment (ABA), sham tPBMSham treatment, for comparison
Participants will receive attention bias assessment (ABA) in conjunction with sham (laser light off) transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment to the forehead.
Treatment: Attention bias assessment and modification
- Arm 3: attention bias assessment and modification (ABA/ABM), transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM)Existing treatment, for comparison
Participants will receive attention bias assessment plus attention bias modification (ABA/ABM) in conjunction with active transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment to the forehead.
Treatment: Attention bias assessment and modification and Transcranial photobiomodulation
- Arm 4: attention bias assessment and modification (ABA/ABM), sham tPBMSham treatment, for comparison
Participants will receive attention bias assessment plus attention bias modification (ABA/ABM) in conjunction with sham (laser light off) transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment to the forehead.
Treatment: Attention bias assessment and modification
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Effects of Transcranial Photobiomodulation and Attention Bias Modification on Anxiety Symptoms and Brain Hemodynamics
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT07133893, who can take part
- Record updated
- 14 May 2026