https://spectrum.ieee.org/gamma-ligh...py-alzheimers?
Sensory Stimulation Detoxifies the Alzheimer?s Brain 40-Hz sound and light oscillations activate the brain?s waste-disposal function
A flicker of light and a buzz of sound may hold the key to combating Alzheimer?s disease?and a new study in mice offers insights into how this unconventional therapy might work in humans.
The noninvasive brain-stimulation technology features an audiovisual disco of rhythmic 40-hertz stimuli, designed to boost brain health by enhancing neural activity at the same ?gamma? frequency.
Administered for an hour each day through an integrated headset or display panel, the at-home therapy has shown promise in early clinical testing. In people with various stages of Alzheimer?s, it has been associated with preserved brain volume, strengthened connectivity between neurons, improved mental functioning, and more restful sleep, among other benefits.
A medical device startup called Cognito Therapeutics is currently evaluating the sensory therapy in a large randomized trial of people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer?s. Meanwhile, the company?s academic cofounders?neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai and neuroengineer Ed Boyden, both at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)?continue to stress how the 40-Hz sync sessions induce beneficial changes in mouse models.
