Margaret A. Naeser, PhD, LAc

Margaret Naeser, PhD, LAc, has conducted research at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System for 47 years and is a Research Professor of Neurology, at Boston University School of Medicine. Since 2009, she has studied the effect of red/near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting diodes (LED) placed over the scalp/brain to treat sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI), PTSD, stroke/Aphasia, Dementia, Gulf War Illness, and most recently, retired, Pro-Football players possibly developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

She has a strong interest in neuroplasticity and utilizing transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) to promote neuromodulation for brain recovery. This includes studying changes in functional connectivity on fMRI scans within specific, intrinsic neural networks which are damaged (but not destroyed), in various central nervous system disorders.

She has had VA-/ NIH-funded research for over 40 years, with early emphasis on neuroanatomy of stroke location in the brain, on CT/MRI scans in patients who have language problems (Aphasia). She has published research using transcranial, magnetic brain stimulation (rTMS) to improve language in chronic stroke/Aphasia. She has over 100 publications.

She is on the editorial board, Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery (PMLS) and is Fellow, American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS). She received her BA from Smith College, and PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Dr. Naeser’s laser acupuncture research to treat paralysis in stroke and pain in carpal tunnel syndrome can be found at the following link: www.bu.edu/naeser/acupuncture

Disclosure: Some of Margaret Naeser’s photobiomodulation research has been funded by Vielight, Inc., Toronto, Canada; and by ThorPhotomedicine, London, UK. She has no personal, or financial conflict of interest to declare, with any of the laser or LED companies.