Overview of experimental design: 9 ISF stimulation circumstances with frequencies various from 36–44 Hz in 1 Hz increments had been repeated 5 occasions in a randomized full block design (RCBD). Inside every block, the 9 frequency circumstances had been proven as soon as. The stimulation trials had a length of 30 seconds and had been separated by a 3 second inter-trial interval. Earlier than and after the RCBD, a 1-minute resting-state baseline was recorded—30 seconds with eyes closed and 30 seconds with eyes open. Credit score: PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321633
Researchers have developed a brand new mild expertise that seems to enhance cognitive perform in Alzheimer’s sufferers in medical trials. The hope is that the thought may be developed into atypical lamps that individuals can set up to stop the illness.
Researchers at DTU and UC Berkeley, along with spin-out firm OptoCeutics, have invented a non-medical type of remedy that may enhance mind exercise: light-based deep mind stimulation that induces a selected kind of mind wave that Alzheimer’s sufferers profit from. An article on the expertise is printed within the journal PLOS One.
Medical trials performed by medical doctors at Zealand College Hospital in Roskilde have proven a useful impact in preliminary research on folks with Alzheimer’s the place these gamma mind waves had been induced: The outcomes recommend that sufferers with delicate to reasonable Alzheimer’s skilled improved cognitive skills in relation to, e.g., speech and reminiscence. A research involving extra members is underway to verify the outcomes.
DTU Professor Paul Michael Petersen, one of many inventors of the expertise, says that the thought for the machine is predicated on analysis from MIT. Almost 10 years in the past, their analysis confirmed that when mice with Alzheimer’s had been uncovered to blinking lights, gamma mind waves had been induced, which in flip decreased plaque attributable to beta-amyloid proteins within the mind.
The brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers are sometimes characterised by the presence of plaque, which is dangerous to nerve cells and might trigger inflammatory modifications in mind tissue.
“However, blinking lights are not particularly sound because they can cause discomfort and, in the worst case, epileptic seizures, so we wanted to investigate whether we could achieve the same effect but in a gentler way,” Petersen explains.
The professor, who’s an skilled in mild, got here up with the thought of growing a tool that had the identical impact as blinking lights, however the place customers wouldn’t detect that the sunshine was blinking. The expertise they developed achieves a useful impact on the mind whereas avoiding a number of unfavourable negative effects.
Good outcomes
The machine was first examined on wholesome people to verify that it may induce the specified mind waves, after which in trials the place folks with delicate to reasonable Alzheimer’s illness spent half-hour each day over a interval of both six or 12 weeks in entrance of one of many new mild gadgets or a placebo lamp. Within the double-blind medical trials, neither sufferers nor medical doctors knew what kind of remedy the Alzheimer’s sufferers had been getting.
On the conclusion of each the quick and lengthy trials, medical doctors had been capable of detect an enchancment in cognitive perform—i.e., the power to carry out checks that point out mind issues—amongst sufferers who used the newly developed mild expertise. Scans additionally revealed that the brains of those that acquired the lively remedy within the longer trial confirmed indicators of enchancment.
“In the patients who were given the placebo lamp, that part of the brain deteriorated, while we actually saw a small increase in volume in those who used an active lamp,” Petersen says.
Many elements can have an effect on the cognitive skills of Alzheimer’s sufferers. OptoCeutics is subsequently now conducting a a lot bigger research to doc the impact of utilizing the machine on sufferers. Stronger medical proof may pave the best way for the gadgets, that are already in the marketplace, to be marketed and offered to extra hospitals and clinics working with Alzheimer’s illness.
Nice potential
The professor is eagerly awaiting the outcomes of the continuing trial.
“If we can stimulate patients’ brains so they avoid secondary diseases and see an improvement in their daily lives by reducing the consequences of losing their memory and not being able to orient themselves or speak, then that’s huge!” he says.
In the long run, Petersen envisions that the thought behind the machine might be additional developed and turn out to be an alternative choice to atypical mild sources that individuals can use as a safety measure of their houses. “And perhaps it could be particularly relevant in retirement homes, where dementia is so prevalent.”
Inclusive innovation
The Danish-American partnership was established throughout DTU Professor Jes Broeng’s keep at UC Berkeley in 2017, the place the innovation skilled established a connection between mind researchers there and lightweight specialists at DTU.
“Jes Broeng contacted me, and we quickly developed the idea together and decided to submit a joint patent application and quickly verify whether the idea was viable,” Petersen says.
The primary electrical circuit utilizing new LED expertise, from which the sunshine machine originated, was developed that very same 12 months throughout a three-week course by Marcus Carstensen, who was a grasp’s pupil on the time. He has since helped to additional develop the sunshine machine—initially in his grasp’s venture after which as a Ph.D. pupil at DTU Electro. Immediately, he’s Chief Expertise Officer at OptoCeutics.
“Marcus was an incredibly talented DTU student, and he quickly advanced the technology. In fact, this is a really good example of how DTU’s technical knowledge can be of benefit to society and why young engineers and students are so important and can make such a big difference,” Petersen says.
About Alzheimer’s
Dementia is the fourth main reason for dying in Denmark and Alzheimer’s illness is by far the commonest type of dementia. But there are nonetheless just a few medication accessible to deal with Alzheimer’s, and so they solely have a short lived stabilizing impact on the illness.
The Danish Dementia Analysis Middle estimates the variety of aged folks in Denmark recognized with Alzheimer’s illness to be about 25,000. Most often, the illness is just not hereditary however happens with none identified trigger.
Extra info:
Mark Alexander Henney et al, Re-evaluating the selection of gamma stimulation frequency for the potential remedy of Alzheimer’s illness: Novel invisible spectral flicker evokes gamma responses at varied frequencies, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321633
Supplied by
Technical College of Denmark
Quotation:
Mild remedy offers new hope for Alzheimer’s sufferers (2025, August 26)
retrieved 26 August 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-08-therapy-alzheimer-patients.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Other than any honest dealing for the aim of personal research or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is supplied for info functions solely.
