Sound and Light as Potential Alzheimer's Treatment

This article reports the first human trials of an experimental Alzheimer’s treatment using 40-Hz sound and light stimulation.
The early results suggest the therapy may improve neurological and cognitive measures and was generally well tolerated.
The approach is based on the idea that Alzheimer’s patients may have weaker and less synchronized gamma brain waves.
Earlier MIT animal studies found that 40-Hz sound or light exposure increased gamma wave strength/synchronization and improved Alzheimer’s-related brain changes.
In a small phase 1 trial, participants showed increased gamma wave strength and synchronization during treatment.
Sleepiness was the most commonly reported side effect in the phase 1 trial.
In a small phase 2a home trial, the treatment group showed better brain connectivity than the control group.
The phase 2a trial also found improved face-name memory performance in the treatment group.
The treatment group showed less worsening on some Alzheimer’s progression markers than the control group.
The studies are too small to prove the therapy works, and a larger phase 3 HOPE trial with 500 participants is already underway.

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