Scientists have discovered that exposing mice with Alzheimer's disease to a 40Hz flickering light can significantly improve Alzheimer's symptoms.

The exact mechanism remains unclear, it seems that being exposed to an hour of a 40Hz flickering light can clear amyloid plaques in the brain.

D54D2 is a monoclonal antibody of β-amyloid and allows us to visualise the plaques in these 6-month-old 5XFAD mice. Clearance of amyloid plaques was achieved with both a 40Hz and 80Hz flicker, but was most pronounced at 40Hz.

So, how does a flicker light achieve this effect?

Gene expression.

A flicker light is able to alter the expression of genes that code for Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) transporters. It seems that the clearance of amyloid plaques takes place through these cell membrane transporters. We already know from previous research that AQP-4, which is mostly a transporter of water molecules across the cell membrane, is also essential in clearing accumulated amyloid and tau aggregates from the brain. So, everything seems to check out really.

Sound too good to be true?

Here’s a map showing differentially expressed genes showing the genes that are overexpressed and underexpressed in different types of neuronal cells.

This also lines up with some really old research from 2006 where a 10Hz flicker was used in elderly human subjects and was found to improve memory.

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Citations:

Murdock, M.H., Yang, CY., Sun, N. et al. Multisensory gamma stimulation promotes glymphatic clearance of amyloid. Nature 627, 149–156 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07132-6

Williams, J., Ramaswamy, D. & Oulhaj, A. 10 Hz flicker improves recognition memory in older people. BMC Neurosci 7, 21 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-7-21 #alzheimer #alzheimersresearch #flickering #science

Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements used by athletes around the world. It effectively helps build muscle mass and is safe to use.

However, scientists are starting to suspect that creatine may prove to be as beneficial for the brain as it is for skeletal muscles, if not more so. We now have multiple studies that suggest creatine may help protect the brain from the harms of sleep deprivation and neurodegenerative disease, improve cognition, and it may even improve mood and help treat depression.

I summarise the evidence on creatine and its role in the treatment of depression. I'll explain why creatine can treat depression and improve mental health by improving brain metabolism, and suggest a regimen for those of you who might want to try supplementing with creatine.

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Because in the dark times we live in today… science must triumph.

Thank you.

The history of science is full of stories of great female scientists that were reduced and stifled by those around them. Clara Immerwahr was the first German woman to receive a PhD in chemistry.

A brilliant scientist in her own right, Clara's life and career were cut short after her marriage to the renowned chemist and Nobel Prize recipient Fritz Haber.

In this video, we discuss Clara's overlooked contributions and the challenges she faced. This is very much a story of lost potential, but it serves as a reminder to all that we must do all we can to protect the rights and freedoms of women, as they become increasingly challenged.

Long Live Clara & Every Female Scientist... Past, Present, and Future.

Intelligent life is all around us, but is all intelligent life equal?

Or, put another way, what sets human intelligence apart from the intelligence of other people? This video is a bit different from what I typically do on this channel. It's a bit more of a journey through the evolution of intelligence, from simple algorithmic neural networks to organisms capable of complex thought.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Instinct is different from what we typically describe as intelligence

✅ The NOTCH2NL mutation contributed to making us humans

✅ There may be limits to our cognition that we may not be aware of

Forget Wall Street analysts – brain imaging can be the best financial advisor out there. In this video/podcast, I talk about the new science of neuroforecasting and how it's changing our understanding of the brain's hidden powers.

Turns out... two small parts of the brain known as the anterior insula and nucleus accumbens, may be better predictors of how stock prices will move... than the best Wall Street analysts out there.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Neuroforecasting is a new emerging field within neuroscience

✅ Our brains are able to make predictions at scale by performing quick, snap risk assessments, which go on to outperform chance