60-Hz light entrainment to unlock mental health conditions

Informations projet

SYNTROPIC

N° de convention de subvention: 101138423

DOI

10.3030/101138423

Projet clôturé

Date de signature de la CE 25 Janvier 2024

Date de début 1 Mars 2024

Date de fin 31 Août 2025

Financé au titre de

• European Research Council (ERC)

Coût total

Aucune donnée

Contribution de l’UE

€ 150 000,00

Coordonné par

INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AUSTRIA
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SYNTROPIC (60-Hz light entrainment to unlock mental health conditions)

Période du rapport: 2024-03-01 au 2025-08-31

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

The overall societal impact of mental disorders is phenomenal, with approximately €170 billion per year spent on treating mood and anxiety disorders alone. One form of mental disorder is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which develops in 10-30% of individuals who have experienced or witnessed a psychologically traumatic event. So far, medications for treating the disease do not show the desired effective and long-lasting improvement in symptoms.
One of the main challenges is that some neurons in our brain are wrapped in a protective layer, known as the perineuronal nets (PNNs), which prevents the adjustment of neuronal connections. The team previously found that light at a specific frequency stimulates microglia, the brain-resident macrophages, to temporarily remove the PNNs in mice, which resulted in improved brain network activity and learning.
In this proof-of-concept project, we aimed to apply our light entrainment to a preclinical model of PTSD to identify the therapeutic window of successful intervention.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

We exposed mouse models with severe fear memories to various therapeutic stimulation parameters with 60-Hz light entrainment and assessed their response. We evaluated multiple paradigms, including several control paradigms, and identified a sex-specific response pattern to the treatment, which depended on the therapeutic window.

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

These results offer new insights into understanding therapeutic strategies that could be achieved through a targeted non-invasive 60-Hz light entrainment, which has sex-specific effects. We are currently preparing the IP for filing the document.