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A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Surrey and the UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research & Technology at Imperial College London has revealed promising results in using sound to stimulate specific brain waves, potentially enhancing sleep quality for individuals with dementia or cognitive decline. Sleep disturbances, affecting up to half of those living with dementia, underscore the critical need for effective treatments in this population.

The study, published in the journal PLOS Biology, focused on manipulating alpha rhythms, a type of brainwave associated with memory and cognitive function. Dr. Ines Violante, Senior Lecturer in Psychological Neuroscience at the University of Surrey, emphasized the importance of understanding these brain oscillations: "Alpha oscillations are a defining characteristic of our brain's electrical activity... Using sound is a powerful, non-invasive approach to stimulate certain oscillations within the brain. It is important that we find ways of manipulating these oscillations to create tools for treatment applications, as we know that brain oscillations are slower in diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease."

According to Medical Express, the study utilized Alpha Closed-Loop Auditory Stimulation (aCLAS), a technique where sounds are synchronized with the phase of alpha rhythms detected in real-time brain activity. This approach allowed researchers to observe how sound at different phases affected the speed and origin of alpha oscillations.

Dr. Henry Hebron, former doctoral student at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study, noted intriguing findings: "What we have found is that alpha oscillations can be manipulated via sound when we address this rhythm on its own terms, using a closed-loop approach. Surprisingly, when we performed our aCLAS experiment as participants were falling asleep, we observed that sounds at a particular phase prevented them from reaching deeper stages of sleep (without waking them), while the same sounds at a different phase were not disruptive."

"There is a lot more to be explored regarding neural oscillations-dependent behaviors, and we believe closed-loop approaches, such as the one we implemented here, could be key."

Moving forward, researchers aim to explore further applications of alpha wave manipulation, particularly in enhancing cognition alongside sleep quality for dementia patients.

Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, Director of the Surrey Sleep Research Centre and Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research & Technology, underscored the study's implications: "This technique could be influential in pushing our understanding and improving sleep functions in those with dementia. We are now investigating the effects of this closed-loop auditory stimulation approach in REM sleep, where alpha rhythms are present but their role still unknown."