In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

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"... scientists found that 40Hz sensory stimulation improved cognition and circuit connectivity and encouraged the growth of new neurons in mice genetically engineered to model Down syndrome. ...

Her lab has begun a small study with human volunteers at MIT. ..."

From the abstract and significance:

"Down syndrome (DS) has been linked with deficits in hippocampal dependent cognitive tasks and adult neurogenesis, yet treatment options are still very limited. We and others previously showed that a non-invasive multisensory gamma stimulation using light and sound at 40 Hz ameliorated Alzheimer’s disease pathology and symptoms in mouse models.

In this study, we tested the effects of 40 Hz multisensory stimulation in the Ts65Dn mice, a mouse model of DS. For three weeks, mice were exposed daily to one hour of stimulation or one hour of ambient light and sound.

Mice receiving the stimulation showed improved object recognition and spatial working memory.

Using single nuclei RNA-seq and experimental validations in mouse hippocampal samples, we identified underlying expression changes in gene regulatory networks and demonstrated increased adult neurogenesis and reorganization of synapses as potential mechanisms for these improved cognitive phenotypes. Together, our data reveal a novel effect of multisensory gamma stimulation on adult neurogenesis and beneficial effects of 40 Hz treatment on cognitive function in DS model mice.

Significance Statement

We present strong evidence, using a well-characterized mouse model, that the cognitive and neurogenesis deficits in Down syndrome can be improved through non-invasive multi-sensory gamma stimulation. Employing a systems biology approach, we provide extensive hippocampal single-cell resolution gene expression signatures and changes in gene regulatory networks in response to sensory gamma stimulation."

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, 

connectivity | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology "New evidence suggests sensory stimulation of gamma-frequency brain rhythm may promote broad-based restorative neurological health response."

Multisensory gamma stimulation enhances adult neurogenesis and improves cognitive function in male mice with Down Syndrome

Images from an MIT research paper show an increase in neurogenesis (as indicated by two markers: Ki67 and EdU) in mice exposed to 40Hz stimulation compared to those exposed only to ambient light and sound. Yellow arrows highlight instances of the markers.