Science

New study finds synergy between 40Hz stimulation and cognitive activities. Inclusion of a cognitive task during the 40Hz stimulation not only has a positive effect on the strength and extent of the gamma entrainment, but also promotes the propagation of gamma entrainment to additional neural areas including deep ones such as hippocampus which were not recruited when no cognitive task was required from the participants. The latter is of particular importance given that the hippocampal complex is considered to be one of the primary targets for Alzheimer’s disease therapies. Read the full article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.1010765/full

Could we treat Alzheimer’s with light and sound?

Researchers report early-stage clinical study results of tests with noninvasive 40-hertz light and sound treatment.

Results from the first human study of the effect of 40Hz light/sound stimulation have been published: “Gamma frequency sensory stimulation in mild probable Alzheimer’s dementia patients: Results of feasibility and pilot studies.” Published by PLOS ONE

Press Release: New study validates Boston Cognitive Assessment—an online test for longitudinal tracking of cognitive performance. BOCA is available gratis at www.bocatest.org

A cognitively active lifestyle in old age delays the onset of dementia in Alzheimer’s Disease by as much as 5 years.

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After 3 months of daily stimulation, participants with mild Alzheimer’s disease in the 40Hz stimulation group showed less ventricular enlargement and stabilization of the hippocampal size compared to the control group. Functional connectivity increased in both the default mode network and the medial visual network. Circadian rhythmicity also improved. Compared to controls, the active group performed better on the face-name association delayed recall test.

A “flicker treatment” that uses flickering lights and sounds has been shown to be tolerable, safe, and effective in treating adults with mild cognitive impairment.

This is an excellent review of the latest developments in the 40Hz brain stimulation research. Tsai and her team have shown that inputs of gamma waves boost the activity of immune cells in the brain called microglia that clear amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Oscillating light and sound waves also increased blood flow, improved the survival and health of the animals’ neurons, and bolstered their connectivity across brain regions. “All of these effects converge to reduce cognitive impairment and pathology,” Tsai says.