07/20/2025
A depiction of how sensory stimulation of gamma rhythms may help clear amyloid from the brain. Flashing neurons symbolize increased neural activity at 40Hz. Certain interneurons (like the one in the foreground) release more VIP peptide, which stimulates blood vessels (and surrounding perivascular spaces containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to pulsate. The peptide also stimulates astrocytes to deploy aquaporin 4 (AQP4) channels to their endfeet on the vessels. With increased pulsation and more APQ4 channels, CSF moves into the tissue flushing away amyloid. In the final frames, amyloid is depicted leaving the brain through lymphatic vessels (green).
In Nature in February 2024 (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07132-6) the MIT Picower Institute lab of Li-Huei Tsai showed that 40Hz light and sound stimulation…
