Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.
J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;75(3):911-921. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200179.
Coherent 40 Hz (gamma) neural oscillation indicates healthy brain activity and is known to be disrupted in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. 40 Hz entrainment by flickering light is known to significantly attenuate AD pathology in mice.
To demonstrate the feasibility of using a lighting intervention to promote coherent 40 Hz neural oscillation, improved working memory performance, and reduced subjective sleepiness among a population of healthy young adults. If successful, the intervention could be extended to address cognitive impairment associated with mild cognitive impairment and AD.
Nine healthy participants (median age 22 years, five females) were exposed to one of two lighting conditions per session in a within-subjects counterbalanced manner. The study's two sessions were separated by 1 week. Custom-built light masks provided either a 40 Hz flickering red light (FRL) intervention or a dark control condition (i.e., total darkness, light mask not energized) at participants' eyes. Data were collected four times per session: pre-exposure, after 25-min exposure, after 50-min exposure, and post-exposure. Each data collection period included a Karolinska Sleepiness Scale report, an electroencephalogram, and working memory (n-back) auditory performance testing.
The FRL intervention induced a significant increase in 40 Hz power and a modest increase in low gamma power. The intervention had no significant impact on working memory performance and subjective sleepiness compared to the control. However, increases in 40 Hz power were significantly correlated with reduced subjective sleepiness.
The results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of using a flickering light to increase 40 Hz power.
相干的 40Hz（伽马）神经振荡表明大脑活动健康，已知在阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者中受到干扰。闪烁光的 40Hz 同步会显著减轻小鼠的 AD 病理。
证明使用照明干预来促进相干的 40Hz 神经振荡、改善工作记忆表现以及减少健康年轻成年人的主观嗜睡是可行的。如果成功，该干预可以扩展到解决与轻度认知障碍和 AD 相关的认知障碍。
9 名健康参与者（中位数年龄 22 岁，5 名女性）以自身对照的方式在每个会话中暴露于两种照明条件之一。该研究的两个会话之间相隔 1 周。定制的光面罩在参与者的眼睛处提供 40Hz 闪烁红光（FRL）干预或黑暗对照条件（即，完全黑暗，光面罩未通电）。每次会话采集四次数据：暴露前、暴露 25 分钟后、暴露 50 分钟后和暴露后。每个数据采集期间包括卡罗林斯卡嗜睡量表报告、脑电图和工作记忆（n-back）听觉表现测试。
FRL 干预诱导 40Hz 功率显著增加，低伽马功率略有增加。与对照相比，干预对工作记忆表现和主观嗜睡没有显著影响。然而，40Hz 功率的增加与主观嗜睡的减少显著相关。
结果清楚地表明使用闪烁光来增加 40Hz 功率是可行的。
