Brain stimulation with 40 Hz music and strobe light promotes removal of toxic amyloid via glymphatic pathways (Nature)

#21

For dissenting views on this topic see (+ read the comments, including Li-Huei Tsai’s answer): Does Flashing Light Really Lower Cortical Amyloid? 2023

In any case, given the vast number of trials we’ll soon know if it works!

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#22

The part the naysayers might be missing is the best results were seen with multi sensory stimulation—sound, light, vibration / tactile stimulation. Entrainment could be hit or miss with any of them in isolation. I think the devices specifically marketed for this are overkill at this stage — expensive and clunky.

A light strobe, binaural beats, and ideally massage or EMS at the same frequency, with marginal cost for each modality, would be my preferred choice. As I mentioned up thread, 40hz isn’t even ideal for humans, only for AD model mice. My only real concern before I buy the light strobe and massager is…. Do the frequencies need to be in phase with each other? It would obviously be very difficult to sync them in phase without their being controlled from a single central unit. The neck massager actually strikes me at the most likely to yield good results as there’s mechanical stimulation too in the vicinity of the cerebral fluid chambers, which could enhance the effectiveness of the vibration.

Also when it yields a pleasant sensation one is more likely to stick with it as part of a daily routine. And if it only costs something in the neighborhood of $100-200, there’s less reason to wait for the clinical trial before taking a plunge. I actually have a super powerful PEMF device that I could program for 35-40hz and operate it on my head (replaces those clunky transcranial helmets) but can’t do it yet as I’m pregnant.

#23

Very helpful. Look forward to seeing the data from the trials!!!

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#24

You’ve done a lot more reading on this than I have, does it say anywhere what it feels like when it works? How do you know if you’re doing it right? Do people fall asleep? Do they stand or sit? It’s a surprise to me that it works this well.

#25

I’ve seen no account of that. What I read is that it works better with white light (as opposed to other colors) for younger folks at least, better when their eyes were open vs shut, and better when they were performing mentally challenging tasks during the exposure — somehow it helped the entrainment reach the hippocampus.

The mice data suggests that it might work better if the conditions are enjoyable — that if and when the mice found the stimulus stressful or tried to avert it, it negated the benefits. So it helps to want to see the light. If there’s anything to this, I think it would help to layer in massage at the 35-40hz frequency as one element of the “multi sensory” matrix, so the whole thing feels better. Maybe people can work on their Wordle and such while lying down with the neck massager on at the same frequency as the binaural beat entrainment, and the light strobe somewhere in the corner of their visual field. Could be a nice little daily ritual of half hour or so.

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#26
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