Noninvasive Treatment Shows Promise for Treating Chemo Brain, MIT Study Finds
Chemotherapy is a life-saving treatment for cancer patients, but it often comes with unwanted side effects. One of the most common side effects is “chemo brain,” a condition characterized by memory impairment and difficulty concentrating. However, researchers at MIT have discovered a potential solution to this problem. In a study of mice, they found that a noninvasive treatment that stimulates gamma frequency brain waves could protect brain cells from chemotherapy-induced damage and prevent memory loss.
The treatment, which was originally developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease, has shown promising results in mice. Daily exposure to light and sound with a frequency of 40 hertz helped reduce DNA damage, inflammation, and loss of myelin, the protective coating around nerve fibers. It also improved learning, memory, and executive function in the animals.
The researchers believe that this treatment could have widespread effects and be beneficial for a variety of neurological disorders. “The treatment can reduce DNA damage, reduce inflammation, and increase the number of oligodendrocytes, which are the cells that produce myelin surrounding the axons,” says Li-Huei Tsai, director of MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.
The treatment works by stimulating gamma waves in the brain, which play a crucial role in attention, perception, and memory. Previous studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have impaired gamma oscillations, and exposure to light flickering at 40 hertz or sounds with a pitch of 40 hertz can stimulate these waves and provide protective effects.
In the study, the researchers tested the treatment on mice that were given cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat various cancers. Mice that received the chemotherapy drug without the gamma therapy showed brain volume shrinkage, DNA damage, demyelination, and inflammation. However, mice that received the gamma therapy alongside the chemotherapy treatment showed significant reductions in these symptoms and performed better on memory and executive function tests.
The researchers also found that the gamma treatment improved the signs of chemo brain in mice that received a different chemotherapy drug, methotrexate, which is used to treat breast, lung, and other types of cancer. This suggests that the treatment could be effective regardless of the specific chemotherapy drug used.
The study’s findings have important implications for cancer patients who experience chemo brain. By protecting brain cells and improving cognitive function, this noninvasive treatment could greatly enhance the quality of life for these individuals. The researchers are now planning to test the treatment in mouse models of other neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
While the treatment is still in the experimental stage, it has already shown promise in phase 1 clinical trials in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment was found to be safe and offered some neurological and behavioral benefits. Cognito Therapeutics, a company founded by Li-Huei Tsai and MIT Professor Edward Boyden, has completed a phase 2 trial of the gamma therapy in Alzheimer’s patients and plans to begin a phase 3 trial this year.
In conclusion, the noninvasive treatment that stimulates gamma frequency brain waves has the potential to revolutionize the way we treat chemo brain and other neurological disorders. By protecting brain cells and improving cognitive function, this treatment could significantly improve the quality of life for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind this treatment and its potential applications in other neurological diseases.
