Can Red Light Therapy Help with Autism? What the Research Says
- Kidest OM
- May 27
- 12 min read
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) currently affects a small percentage of children and adults around the globe. According to recently published peer reviewed studies the prevalence of autism shows meaningful variation across global regions.
In the United States, a prevalence of approximately 2.8% among children has been reported (Maenner et al., 2023). Canadian sources identified rates near 2% (Ofner et al., 2022). In the United Kingdom, population‑based studies estimate prevalence at roughly 1.8% (Russell et al., 2021), while Australian rates are reported at around 2–3% (May et al., 2020). Global meta‑analyses similarly indicate prevalence ranging from 1% to 1.7%, depending on methodology and region (Salari et al., 2022; Zeidan et al., 2022).
In this post, you’ll learn why red light therapy — specifically near-infrared transcranial photobiomodulation — is emerging as one of the most intriguing new areas of autism research. I’ll walk through what autism is, how autistic and neurotypical brains differ in connectivity, brainwave activity, and cellular energy metabolism, how near-infrared light is thought to work in the brain, what the latest human studies have found, and what those findings do and do not mean in practice.
The promise of this approach is not that it offers a simplistic cure, but that it may help support brain function at a deeper biological level by improving mitochondrial activity, neural signaling, and neuroplasticity — making it a compelling emerging solution worthy of careful attention.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person experiences social communication, sensory input, behavior, and patterns of interest. It is called a spectrum because autism can look very different from one person to another, with wide variation in strengths, challenges, and support needs.
Autism is no longer classified into separate disorders (such as Asperger's syndrome or PDD-NOS). The DSM-5, published in 2013, unified these under Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), recognizing that autism presents differently across individuals, with varying profiles of strengths, challenges, and support needs (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
The Three Levels of Autism
The DSM-5 classifies ASD by support needs:
Level 1 (Requiring Support): Sometimes described as involving lower day-to-day support needs in certain areas, although support needs can still be meaningful and uneven. Individuals may show noticeable differences in social communication and may have inflexible behaviors, but can often manage many aspects of daily functioning with support.
Level 2 (Requiring Substantial Support): More marked difficulties in social communication. Behaviors are more inflexible and more disruptive to daily functioning.
Level 3 (Requiring Very Substantial Support): Severe deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication, very limited social interaction, and extreme difficulty coping with change.
Because this article later discusses research outcomes, it helps to understand the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2), one of the tools used to measure autism-related symptom severity. CARS-2 produces a numerical score that helps clinicians assess symptom burden and track changes over time, which is why it is useful in both diagnosis and treatment research.
Co-occurring Conditions in ASD
ASD commonly co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing differences, sleep problems, and gastrointestinal symptoms. In some individuals, these overlapping challenges may reflect shared neurobiological factors, including differences in neural connectivity, sensory regulation, and cellular energy metabolism. This is one reason researchers are interested in interventions like near-infrared light therapy, which aim to support brain function at a biological level rather than targeting only surface behaviors.
Explaining Neurotypical and Neurodivergent Brains
For many years, autism was described mainly in terms of outward behavior. Contemporary neuroscience adds a deeper layer of understanding: autism spectrum disorder is also associated with differences in brain organization, connectivity, and cellular metabolism. That does not reduce autistic people to their biology, but it does help explain why social communication, sensory processing, attention, and regulation can feel different from the inside as well as appear different from the outside.
Connectivity Patterns in Autism
In neurotypical brains, there is a dynamic balance between local processing within a specific region and long-range integration across different regions. In autism, researchers often find a somewhat different pattern: less consistent connectivity across distant brain regions alongside stronger or more dominant local circuit activity in some networks (Just et al., 2012). In practical terms, this can make it harder for brain regions involved in social reasoning (e.g. prefrontal cortex), language, attention, and perspective-taking (e.g. temporoparietal junction) to stay coordinated in real time.
One network that has received significant attention in autism research is the Default Mode Network (DMN), a group of interconnected brain regions involved in self-referential thinking, social understanding, and internal reflection. Studies have repeatedly found atypical DMN function in autism, and these differences appear to be related to some of the social-cognitive patterns often seen in ASD (Kleinhans et al., 2008).
Brainwave Differences in Autism
Electroencephalogram (EEG) research has also identified recurring differences in brainwave patterns in some people with ASD. Studies often report elevated delta activity along with reduced or dysregulated gamma and beta activity. These patterns matter because brainwaves reflect how neural networks coordinate timing, attention, sensory processing, and higher-order cognition.
Delta waves are most strongly associated with deep sleep and very slow cortical activity; when they are unusually elevated during waking states, they may be associated with slowed processing or reduced alertness.
Gamma waves are linked to higher-level integration, including attention, perception, and aspects of social and cognitive processing.
Beta waves are more often associated with active thinking, focus, and engagement with the environment. When gamma and beta activity are reduced or poorly regulated, it can reflect less efficient coordination across networks that support real-time learning and interaction.
These EEG findings are not just abstract measurements. They offer another window into how neural circuits may be recruited and coordinated differently in autism, helping connect observable behavior with underlying brain function.
Mitochondrial Function and Cellular Energy
Another important area of autism research involves mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are the energy-producing structures inside cells, and neurons depend heavily on them because the brain has such high energy demands. When cellular energy production is impaired, the brain may have a harder time sustaining the metabolic work required for complex processing, regulation, and adaptation.
Research suggests that clinically significant mitochondrial dysfunction may be present in a subset of individuals with ASD, with some estimates around 5% at the clinical level (Frye & Rossignol, 2011). That does not mean mitochondrial dysfunction explains autism, but it does help explain why metabolic interventions, including photobiomodulation, are drawing scientific interest as potential ways to support brain function in at least some individuals.
How Near-Infrared Light Works in the Brain
Red light therapy and near-infrared photobiomodulation have a growing list of studied benefits across healing, inflammation, pain, and neurological function, which is one reason interest in brain-directed applications has expanded so quickly.
In this section, I’ll focus specifically on how near-infrared light is thought to work in the brain: how it reaches tissue, interacts with cellular energy systems, and may influence broader neural signaling in ways that are relevant to autism research.
Step 1: Targeting the Social Brain
In ASD-specific protocols, the light is strategically directed at regions involved in social cognition and language:
The Default Mode Network (DMN): Implicated in social thinking and understanding others.
Broca's Area: Key for speech production.
Wernicke's Area: Critical for language comprehension.
By supporting cellular function in these specific regions, transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is designed to engage brain systems involved in social communication and language (Pallanti et al., 2022; Fradkin et al., 2025). That targeted rationale is part of what makes it such an intriguing emerging approach in autism research.
Step 2: Cytochrome c Oxidase Activation
One of the main proposed targets of photobiomodulation is an enzyme in the mitochondria called cytochrome c oxidase (CCO). CCO sits at the end of the electron transport chain, the process cells use to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's primary energy currency.
When near-infrared light is absorbed, it is thought to help modulate CCO activity and support mitochondrial function, which can contribute to increased ATP production and downstream signaling effects (Hamblin, 2016). In neurons that are under metabolic stress, that may matter because energy availability influences signaling, repair, and the brain’s capacity to adapt.
Step 3: Downstream Signaling
Increased ATP production from CCO activation triggers a cascade of downstream effects:
Reduced oxidative stress: NIR light activates antioxidant pathways, reducing the reactive oxygen species (free radicals) that damage neural tissue.
Increased nitric oxide release: This promotes vasodilation and improved cerebral blood flow, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to active brain regions.
Neuroplasticity signaling: Enhanced ATP and reduced oxidative stress promote synaptic plasticity — the brain's ability to form and strengthen new neural connections (Hamblin, 2016).
Step 4: Brainwave Normalization
At the network level, changes in cellular energy metabolism and signaling may also be reflected in brainwave activity. As you’ll see in the research below, investigators have reported measurable EEG changes alongside behavioral improvements in children receiving tPBM. That does not prove a simple one-to-one cause, but it does suggest that the biological and behavioral findings may be meaningfully related.
The Meaningful Promise of Red Light Therapy for Autism: What the Research Found
This is the part of the story that makes the scientific interest in red light therapy especially compelling. In the most rigorous recent investigation, researchers studied transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) in 23 children ages 2 to 7 with ASD and found changes that were not just statistically significant, but clinically encouraging in ways families can understand (Fradkin et al., 2025).
Study Protocol Summary (Fradkin et al., 2025)
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Key Research Findings on Red Light Therapy for Autism
7-point average reduction in CARS-2 scores: This is not a small change. On a scale used to track autism-related symptom burden, a 7-point average reduction is meaningfully significant and large enough to reflect real-world improvement rather than statistical noise. In practical terms, it can represent movement from more rigid, disruptive, and function-limiting patterns toward the kind of profile described earlier as Level 1 support needs: fewer barriers in social communication, greater flexibility, and better ability to manage everyday demands with support. That does not mean a child stops being autistic; it means the child may be functioning with fewer obstacles and more room for learning, connection, and growth.
EEG normalization: Delta waves decreased, while gamma and beta waves increased. These shifts moved in the same direction researchers would hope to see if brain networks were becoming better regulated and more capable of supporting attention, learning, and social-cognitive processing.
Safety profile: No moderate or severe adverse events were reported. The treatment was well-tolerated by the youngest participants.
The 40 Hz pulsing frequency is also worth noting. In other areas of neuroscience, 40 Hz gamma entrainment has been associated with improved neural synchrony and information integration (Iaccarino et al., 2016). That does not prove the same mechanism is fully established here, but it strengthens the biological plausibility of why this protocol may be doing more than delivering light alone.
Supporting Research
The 2025 findings are part of a growing body of evidence: That hopeful signal does not stand alone. In a retrospective study of 21 children with ASD, Pallanti and colleagues (2022) also reported reductions in autism severity scores over the course of treatment, along with improvements in noncompliant behavior, rigidity, attention, sleep quality, and parental stress.
Taken together, those outcomes matter because they point not only to changes on a rating scale, but to shifts that could make daily life easier for both children and families.
None of this means the science is settled, and larger randomized controlled trials are still needed. But when multiple studies on red light therapy and autism begin to show improvements in social interaction, communication, flexibility, and regulation — especially in children during highly plastic developmental years — it gives real reason for hope. The findings suggest that for at least some children, this approach may help reduce the intensity of the barriers they are carrying and create better conditions for development, learning, and connection.
How Long Do Results Last?
Follow-up data suggests that positive behavioral changes can be maintained for 6 to 12 months post-treatment in some cohorts. The proposed mechanism is that the light therapy triggers lasting synaptic plasticity — the brain's structural adaptation — that persists beyond the treatment period itself. As with most neurological interventions, periodic maintenance sessions may support long-term outcomes.
Additional Neurobiological Applications of Red Light Therapy
One reason the autism findings are so encouraging is that they do not exist in isolation. Transcranial photobiomodulation is also being studied across other neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions, which helps reinforce the idea that its underlying mechanisms — support for cellular energy metabolism, blood flow, and neuroplasticity — may have broader relevance in the brain.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Studies have reported improvements in cognitive symptoms and reductions in inflammatory signaling following tPBM in some TBI populations, making it one of the more actively explored neurological applications (Hamblin, 2016).
Depression and Anxiety: Prefrontal tPBM has shown promising early effects on mood and emotional regulation in some studies, potentially through changes in frontal lobe metabolism and network function.
ADHD: Because ADHD and ASD can overlap in attention and executive function challenges, emerging research on tPBM in ADHD is relevant here as well. It suggests the therapy may have broader applications in brain networks involved in focus, regulation, and behavioral flexibility.
Cognitive Aging: Researchers are also studying near-infrared light as a possible way to support brain metabolism and reduce inflammatory stress in age-related cognitive decline, further underscoring the broad neurological interest in this approach.
The common thread across these applications is not that red light therapy works the same way in every condition, but that researchers keep returning to a similar biological rationale: support for mitochondrial function, modulation of oxidative stress, improved blood flow, and signaling pathways involved in neuroplasticity. That broader pattern helps make the autism findings feel less isolated and more biologically plausible.
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Red Light Therapy and Autism: What This Means for Families and the Future
Taken together, the evidence in this article points to a hopeful but still emerging conclusion: red light therapy may offer a meaningful new way to support brain function in some children with autism.
Most importantly, the findings reviewed here suggest that the improvements seen in research are not trivial. A meaningful reduction in autism-related symptom burden can translate into more flexibility, better regulation, improved social engagement, and more capacity for learning and connection. For a child, that can mean fewer barriers in everyday life. For families, it can mean hope, gratitude, more moments of ease, communication, and progress.
The science is still developing, and larger controlled trials are needed. But the early data are encouraging enough to justify serious attention. If future studies continue to confirm these findings, red light therapy may become an important supportive tool — one that helps create better conditions for development, therapy, communication, and quality of life in children with autism.
As with all emerging research, informed discernment is essential. Families considering any protocol should consult with qualified healthcare professionals, particularly when treatment involves children.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Fradkin, Y., Anguera, J. A., Simon, A. J., De Taboada, L., & Steingold, E. (2025). Transcranial photobiomodulation for reducing symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and modulating brain electrophysiology in children aged 2–7: an open label study. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 4.
Frye, R. E., & Rossignol, D. A. (2011). Mitochondrial dysfunction can connect the diverse medical symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatric Research, 69(5), 41R–47R.
Hamblin, M. R. (2016). Shining light on the head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders. BBA Clinical, 6, 113–124.
Iaccarino, H. F., Singer, A. C., Martorell, A. J., Rudenko, A., Gao, F., Gillingham, T. Z., ... & Tsai, L. H. (2016). Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia. Nature, 540(7632), 230–235.
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Kleinhans, N. M., Richards, T., Sterling, L., Stegbauer, K. C., Mahurin, R., Johnson, L. C., ... & Aylward, E. (2008). Abnormal functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders during face processing. Brain, 131(4), 1000–1012.
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Ofner, M., Coles, A., Decou, M. L., et al. (2022). Autism spectrum disorder among children and youth in Canada 2022. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 42(2), 45–49.
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Russell, G., Stapley, S., Newlove‑Delgado, T., et al. (2021). Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: A UK population‑based cohort study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62(3), 267–276.
Salari, N., Rasoulpoor, S., Rasoulpoor, S., et al. (2022). Global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive systematic review and meta‑analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(3), 1–15.
Zeidan, J., Fombonne, E., Scorah, J., et al. (2022). Global prevalence of autism: A systematic review update. Autism Research, 15(5), 778–790.
This blog is intended for informational and educational purposes. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning any new therapeutic protocol.
Kidest OM is an internationally recognized personal development coach, author, and teacher known for her transformative books and courses on conscious creation. Blending psychology, quantum biology, and metaphysical insight, she empowers readers and students to harness consciousness to shape reality with clarity. Her science-informed approach to consciousness evolution brings depth and precision to manifestation, bridging the gap between spirituality and evidence-based personal growth.
Through her consciousness and spirituality books and online courses, Kidest teaches practical frameworks for emotional regulation, mindset mastery, and aligned action—empowering you to consciously evolve and manifest your highest potential.
