Light and sound therapy
Stimulation with light and sound mitigated the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
Sergey Kolenov, Hi-tech+
One of the manifestations of Alzheimer's disease is a violation of the gamma rhythm of the brain, which corresponds to functions such as attention, perception and memory. According to researchers from According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the symptoms of the disease can be alleviated by correcting these waves.
In 2016, the team reported for the first time the beneficial effects of gamma rhythm correction in mice predisposed to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have found that if mice are exposed to light flickering at a frequency of 40 Hz every day for an hour, this reduces the concentration of toxic beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau proteins in the visual cortex. In addition, the procedure increases the activity of microglia – the immune system of the brain.
In the new work, scientists decided to test whether it is possible to achieve improvements in other areas of the brain with the help of sound stimuli. To do this, mice were exposed to 40-hertz tones daily for a week. In the auditory cortex of experimental animals, the concentration of beta-amyloids sharply decreased.
Positive changes were also noted in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is responsible for memory and is located near the auditory cortex.
The procedure also had a positive effect on the cognitive abilities of rodents. After processing, the mice found a way out of the maze much better and recognized the objects they had encountered before.
In the next step, the researchers combined sound and visual stimulation. To their surprise, it had an even greater effect than each procedure individually.
For example, the size of amyloid plaques has shrunk in most areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for many higher cognitive functions. The microglia reaction was also much stronger. However, these effects did not last long, which indicates the need to carry out stimulation regularly.
Scientists do not yet know how the stimulation of gamma rhythms works at the molecular level. In addition, it is unclear whether such procedures can help people with Alzheimer's disease. The first tests on healthy volunteers showed that such exposure is at least safe. Now the team is recruiting patients with an early form of the disease to test the effectiveness of the technique.
In 2016, the team reported for the first time the beneficial effects of gamma rhythm correction in mice predisposed to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have found that if mice are exposed to light flickering at a frequency of 40 Hz every day for an hour, this reduces the concentration of toxic beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau proteins in the visual cortex. In addition, the procedure increases the activity of microglia – the immune system of the brain.
In the new work, scientists decided to test whether it is possible to achieve improvements in other areas of the brain with the help of sound stimuli. To do this, mice were exposed to 40-hertz tones daily for a week. In the auditory cortex of experimental animals, the concentration of beta-amyloids sharply decreased.
Positive changes were also noted in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is responsible for memory and is located near the auditory cortex.
The procedure also had a positive effect on the cognitive abilities of rodents. After processing, the mice found a way out of the maze much better and recognized the objects they had encountered before.
In the next step, the researchers combined sound and visual stimulation. This had a greater effect than each procedure individually.
For example, the size of amyloid plaques has shrunk in most areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for many higher cognitive functions. The microglia reaction was also much stronger. However, these effects did not last long, which indicates the need to carry out stimulation regularly.
Scientists do not yet know how the stimulation of gamma rhythms works at the molecular level. In addition, it is unclear whether such procedures can help people with Alzheimer's disease. The first tests on healthy volunteers showed that such exposure is at least safe. Now the team is recruiting patients with an early form of the disease to test the effectiveness of the technique.
Correction of brain waves allows you to cope with other diseases, for example, depression. Researchers from the USA managed to alleviate the symptoms of this disease with the help of electrical stimulation with alternating current.
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