60-Hz light entrainment to unlock mental health conditions

Informacje na temat projektu

SYNTROPIC

Identyfikator umowy o grant: 101138423

DOI

10.3030/101138423

Projekt został zamknięty

Data podpisania przez KE 25 Stycznia 2024

Data rozpoczęcia 1 Marca 2024

Data zakończenia 31 Sierpnia 2025

Finansowanie w ramach

• European Research Council (ERC)

Koszt całkowity

Brak danych

Wkład UE

€ 150 000,00

Koordynowany przez

INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AUSTRIA
Austria

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

Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-03-01 do 2025-08-31

Podsumowanie kontekstu i ogólnych celów projektu

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.

Prace wykonane od początku projektu do końca okresu sprawozdawczego oraz najważniejsze dotychczasowe rezultaty

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.

Innowacyjność oraz oczekiwany potencjalny wpływ (w tym dotychczasowe znaczenie społeczno-gospodarcze i szersze implikacje społeczne projektu)

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.