Blinking lights at gamma frequencies to break down amyloid build up
Scientists at MIT have discovered that inducing the gamma frequency in the brains of mice reduces amyloid load. Light flickering at 40Hz induced the gamma waves in the mouse brain. At the same time, amyloid beta and the toxic plaques it forms were drastically reduced. If this finding translates to the human brain, it would be a breakthrough. To support scientists seeking to build on this result, we have created tools and software to lower the technical bar involved. Specifically, we created and documented an Arduino LED light strip device that flickers at 40Hz. To test if gamma waves are induced, we created an Android app to collect and transmit EEG data from a Muse brain sensing headband. Our work will encourage and kickstart studies of this potential breakthrough treatment by helping build software and hardware tools that tune the human brain to the gamma frequency.