BBC_Science_Focus_-_08.2019

DISCOVERIES

Controlling brainwaves

could improve memory in

people with Alzheimer’s

Manipulating brainwaves could become

a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,

according to neuroscientists at the

University of Birmingham. The memory

of people with the condition could be

improved by altering the frequency of their

brain waves, the researchers claim.

Brain waves, also known as neural

oscillations, are the result of electrical

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signals in the brain and nervous system,

and these signals can synchronise to

form waves which can be detected by an

electroencephalogram (EEG). Previous

studies have shown that there is a link

between patterns in these brain waves and

the process of storing memories.

The team, led by Dr Simon Hanslmayr,

reviewed the research into the topic and

concluded that not only are brain waves

linked to memory processes, but also that

memory processes can be directly altered by

manipulating brain waves. Brain oscillations

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the formation, maintenance, consolidation

and retrieval of memories. Investigating

how these mechanisms are affected

could help us to develop treatments for

memory-related disorders. Brain waves

can be forced to follow particular rhythms

by various methods. “We can modulate

[modify] memory performance via

rhythmic neural stimulation, which can be

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rhythm which then is followed by neurons

in the brain,” said Hanslmayr.

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non-invasively with rhythmic sounds

and electrical or electromagnetic waves.

An alternative method is deep brain

stimulation, in which electrodes are

surgically placed into the brain. This

is currently used as a treatment for

Parkinson’s disease and tremors.

“More research will be required, but it

seems clear that driving brain rhythms

[...] is a promising tool for improving

memory – both for healthy people and for

patients suffering from conditions such as

Alzheimer’s disease,” Hanslmayr said.

Taming

brain waves

may oer

memory

benefits

HEALTH

GET T Y IMAGES X3 ILLUSTRATIONS: TARA JACOBY

MIGRAINE SUFFERERS

A free app called RELAXaHEAD, made by a

team at NYU School of Medicine, USA,

guides people through a progressive

muscle relaxation regime. With regular use,

migraine suerers experienced four fewer

aacks per month, on average.

MUSIC MAESTROS

Students who play an instrument at the

start of high school (age 12) end up being an

academic year ahead of their non-musical

classmates in their maths, English and

science skills by the time they finish high

school, researchers at the University of

British Columbia, Canada, have found.

SEA LOVERS

A dip in the ocean could leave us prone to

infection, as skin bacteria are washed o

and replaced by waterborne bacteria, a

team at the University of California reports.

The skin microbiome of volunteers was

replaced with oceanborne bacteria for up

to 24 hours aer ocean swimming.

CHICKEN CONNOISSEURS

White meats such as poultry have a similar

eect on cholesterol as red meats, find

researchers at the University of California.

Both types increase cholesterol-enriched

LDL particles in the blood, which is linked

to an increased risk of heart aack.

Bad month

Good month