Synergistic effects of combined therapy with transcranial photobiomodulation and enriched environment on depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in a mice model of noise stress

The development of anxiety and depression due to chronic exposure to noise stress has remained as an unsolved health problem so far. Despite the studies suggesting the neuroenhancement effects of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) and housing in an enriched environment (EE), the combined effects of these treatments have not been elucidated yet. Also, there is no available data on the relationship between the application of tPBM and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in animal models of stress. The present study aims to investigate the application of the tPBM and EE (alone or in combination) on depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in a mice model of noise stress. Mice were divided into five groups: control, noise, noise + EE, noise + tPBM, and noise + EE + tPBM. Except for the control group, other groups were subjected to 110 dB SPL white noise for 4 h/day for 14 consecutive days and received their respective treatments. Forced Swimming Test (FST) was used to evaluate depressive-like behaviors. Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Open Field Test (OFT) were used to evaluate anxiety-like behaviors. BDNF, tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB), and cAMP response element-binding (CREB) protein levels in the hippocampus were determined by the Western blot method, and also serum corticosterone levels were assessed using an ELISA kit. Exposure to noise stress significantly elevated serum corticosterone level; downregulated hippocampal BDNF, TrkB, and CREB protein expressions; and resulted in depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. While, the application of tPBM (810 nm wavelength, 8 J/cm² fluence, 10 Hz pulsed wave mode), housing in EE, and their combination lowered corticosterone levels, upregulated the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus, and improved behavioral outcomes in noise stress subjected mice. Our finding revealed the improving effects of tPBM and EE on depressive and anxiety-like behaviors induced by noise stress, possibly by augmenting the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway.