40 Hz gamma stimulation (entrainment)

There were also new findings with regard to innovative treatment methods for Alzheimer's disease. Research by Iaccarino & Singer et al. (2016), Adaikkan et al. (2019a) and Martorell et al. (2019) from MIT have found a method that could reduce the aggregation of amyloid-β and tau-phosphorylation and thus improve memory. For this purpose, brain waves in the gamma frequency, which are very important in the waking state, are stimulated to synchronize by visual (light flickering at 40 Hz) and auditory (sound waves oscillating at 40 Hz) stimuli. The method has been successfully tested on AD mouse and AD rat models and must now be investigated in humans in the next step. It is particularly remarkable that it could be observed that the immune cells of the brain, the so-called microglia, morphologically changed under the influence of the 40 Hz gamma stimulation and grouped around the amyloid-β as well as neurofibrillary tau-tangles and dissolved them. The rats treated in this way were able to navigate again and “remember” the neural maps stored in their place cells for paths to food and out of labyrinths. This requires revitalisation of their sense of smell. Adaikkan (2019b) speaks of the enormous therapeutic possibilities of the procedure.

For the IASON project, this research is of high relevance as it underlines the importance of brain waves and thus the EEG as a combined diagnostic and treatment tool. This potential combination will be explained in separate communication with the project sponsor. An in-depth literature study is planned for the QI of the 2020 reporting period.

References:

  1. Adaikkan, C., Middleton, S. J., Marco, A., Pao, P. C., Mathys, H., Kim, D. N., Gao, F., Young, J. Z., Suk, H. J., Boyden, E. S., McHugh, T. J., Tsai, L.-H. (2019a). Gamma entrainment binds higher-order brain regions and offers neuroprotection.Neuron, 102(5), 929-943. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.011
  2. Martorell, A. J., Paulson, A. L., Suk, H. J., Abdurrob, F., Drummond, G. T., Guan, W., Young, J. Z., Kim, D. N., Kriskiy, O., Barker, S. J., Mangena, V., Prince, S. M., Brown, E. N., Chung, K., Boyden, E. S., Singer, A. C., & Tsai, L. H. (2019). Multi-sensory gamma stimulation ameliorates Alzheimer’s-associated pathology and imrpoves cognition. Cell, 177(2), 256-271. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.014
  3. Iaccarino H.F., Singer A.C., Martorell A. J., Rudenko A., Gao F., Gillingham T.Z., Mathys H., Seo J., Kritskiy O., Abdurrob F., Adaikkan C., Canter R.G., Rueda R. , Brown E. N., Boyden E.S., Tsai L.H. (2016). Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia. Nature. 2016 December 07; 540(7632): 230–235. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20587.
  4. Adaikkan C., Tsai L.H. (2019b). Gamma Entrainment: Impact on Neurocircuits, Glia, and Therapeutic Opportunities. Trends in Neurosciences. (2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2019.11.001