MIT 46-3189 and Zoom (See below for full information)
The Impact of Gamma Stimulation on Neurological Phenotypes of Alzheimer's Dementia and Down Syndrome
Non-invasive Gamma ENtrainment Using Sensory stimulation (GENUS) at 40Hz reduced Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology such as amyloid and tau levels, prevented cerebral atrophy and improved behavioral testing performance in mouse models of AD. This thesis work focuses on the translation of this intervention into human patients with AD. Initial pilot studies assessed safety, compliance, entrainment and exploratory clinical outcomes in patients with mild AD during acute and chronic exposure to GENUS. Additionally, due to the increase in amyloid burden and other shared biological and cognitive phenotypes present in the setting of trisomy 21 compared to AD, we also present initial investigation into the use of GENUS in adult Ts65Dn mice, a mouse model of Down syndrome (DS). Chronic exposure resulted in significant genetic and immunohistochemical changes related to synapse organization and adult neurogenesis within the hippocampus, as well as an improvement in spatial memory during behavioral testing. Finally, we also share pilot studies in human individuals with DS to show initial safety, compliance, and entrainment data from acute exposure experiments. Overall, GENUS offers a promising, non-invasive method for altering gamma frequency activity in hippocampal and cortical neuronal circuits and improving cognitive performance in the setting of AD and DS.
Thesis Supervisors:
Li-Huei Tsai, PhD
Director, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, Picower Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT
Ed Boyden, PhD
Professor, Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Media Arts and Sciences, and Biological Engineering, Y. Eva Tan Professor in Neurotechnology, McGovern Institute and HHMI
Thesis Committee Chair:
John Gabrieli, PhD
Grover Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Director, Martinos Imaging Center at MIT
Thesis Reader:
Steven Gomperts, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, HMS, Director of the Lewy Body Dementia Unit, MGH
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Topic: Brennan Jackson Thesis Defense
Time: May 31, 2023 03:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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