Summary: Western University researchers received a $1.1 million grant from the Weston Family Foundation to explore the potential of phase-locked auditory stimulation—playing gentle sounds during sleep—to enhance memory and brain health in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and potentially prevent dementia. Led by Laura Batterink, PhD, the study aims to improve slow-wave sleep and break the cycle of poor sleep and declining brain health. The study will be conducted in two phases, first in a lab and then at participants’ homes, to assess the method’s effectiveness and scalability.
Key Takeaways:
- Grant and Research Focus: Western University researchers received $1.1 million to study brain-synched sounds’ impact on sleep and memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
- Methodology: The study involves phase-locked auditory stimulation, where gentle sounds are played during sleep to enhance slow-wave sleep and memory consolidation.
- Study Phases: The research will be conducted in two phases, starting with lab-based sleep studies and moving to home-based tests using portable EEG systems to evaluate real-world applicability.
In a step toward combating dementia, Western University researchers have received a $1.1 million grant from the Weston Family Foundation to explore the potential of gentle brain-synched sounds to improve sleep and memory performance in older adults.
The method, which involves playing those gentle sounds during sleep, is called phase-locked auditory stimulation.
This research, led by psychology professor Laura Batterink, PhD, aims to advance brain health and sleep science among older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. The condition is characterized by noticeable memory problems that are greater than expected for a person’s age, but not severe enough to interfere significantly with daily life.
“Our goal with this grant is to use phase-locked auditory stimulation to enhance slow-wave sleep in older adults, particularly those at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Batterink, a member of the Western Institute for Neuroscience, in a release. “Poor sleep can create a vicious cycle of declining brain health, which further worsens sleep. By intervening with this method, we hope to break this cycle and improve overall brain health.”
Understanding Phase-Locked Auditory Stimulation
Phase-locked auditory stimulation involves playing gentle sounds at specific times during sleep to sync with the brain’s naturally slowed waves. By using real-time technology to monitor brain activity, researchers can send these sounds at just the right moment to strengthen the brain waves that help with memory consolidation and cognitive functions.
“This method involves reading people’s electroencephalography (EEG) results while they sleep and using real-time algorithms to predict slow oscillations. By emitting a quiet auditory pulse at the right moment, we can increase the amplitude of these slow oscillations, which has been shown to improve memory consolidation and other aspects of cognition,” says Batterink in a release.
Her research focuses on sleep-dependent memory consolidation, which is crucial for retaining information learned during the day. The new project is particularly significant given the world’s aging population and the increasing prevalence of dementia.
“If we can demonstrate this method is effective, it could potentially be used as a widespread biofeedback system to improve sleep and, consequently, brain health,” Batterink says in a release.
Improvements in Memory?
Lyle Muller, PhD, a mathematics professor, is co-principal investigator on the project. “My lab is developing algorithms to process neural signals in real-time and play sounds at specific points during sleep rhythms. By reducing the time between signal processing and sensory stimulation, we hope to see significant improvements in memory,” he says in a release.
Muller highlighted the potential of those algorithms to detect slow-wave amplitudes–a sign of deep sleep—in older adults, which tend to be smaller and harder to detect.c
The collaborative study brings together experts in psychology, neuroscience, and computational science. The research team will conduct the study in two phases. In the first phase, participants will undergo sleep studies in a controlled laboratory setting.
“They will spend three nights receiving auditory stimulation and three nights with sham stimulation to serve as a control. This allows us to directly compare the effects,” Batterink says in a release. The second phase will involve using portable EEG systems to test the method in participants’ homes, making it more accessible and scalable.
“This research could be directly translatable to real-world applications, potentially helping a large number of aging individuals,” she says in a release.
Combating Poor Sleep and Brain Health Decline
Recruitment for the study will target individuals aged 60 and older, including those with a clinical diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults. The team will assess the impact of the sound stimulation on sleep quality and memory performance.
The team is excited about the potential real-world applications of their research.
Recruitment for the study will begin in September. Participants must be 60 years or older and meet specific health criteria in order to be eligible Those interested in participating in the study can contact Laura Batterink at [email protected] for more information.
Photo caption: Laura Batterink, psychology professor and principal investigator on the study in the sleep lab.
Photo credit: Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications
Leave a Reply