Modulation of the theta-gamma neural code with controlled light therapeutics
Gamma brain stimulation (around 40 Hz) is performed using light pulses. To perform theta brain stimulation (around 7 Hz) without perceptible flicker, the light source is also strobed at 47 Hz (also within the gamma range). The brain perceives the 40 Hz and a subtraction frequency of 7 Hz (in the theta range). The combined gamma and theta wave stimulation of the brain may be used for preventing or treating brain disease or sleeping disorders. The particular stimulation frequencies and their phases create neuronal gamma-theta coupling in the brain that has been shown to have positive effects on memory, Alzheimer's disease, motor skills, and other functions. Other gamma and theta frequencies, creating gamma-theta coupling in the brain, are also beneficial. The phase of the light pulses is also dynamically controlled using feedback to maximize theta-gamma coupling in the brain.
1 . A brain stimulation system for a person comprising:
one or more power supplies controlled by a processing system to energize a first light source and a second light source;
the first light source coupled to the one or more power supplies being controlled to generate light only at a first brain stimulation rate within a gamma wave range of 20-140 Hz, the second light source coupled to the one or more power supplies being controlled to generate light at a second brain stimulation rate of the first brain stimulation rate plus a theta wave range of 4-10 Hz;
a feedback system configured to detect the person's brain waves and generate first signals that correspond to rhythmic patterns in the brain waves; and
the processing system coupled to detect the first signals corresponding to the rhythmic patterns in the brain waves and coupled to control the one or more power supplies to adjust phases of the generated light from the first light source and the second light source to phase-lock the generated light to the rhythmic patterns in the brain waves to increase theta-gamma wave coupling in the person's brain.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more power supplies controls the first light source and the second light source simultaneously to simultaneously generate the light at the first brain stimulation rate of a first frequency within the gamma wave range of 20-140 Hz and the light at the second brain stimulation rate of a second frequency that is greater than the first frequency by 4-10 Hz.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein a first power supply of the one or more power supplies controls a first set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) within the first light source at the first brain stimulation rate, and wherein a second power supply of the one or more power supplies controls a second set of LEDs within the second light source at the second brain stimulation rate.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the feedback system comprises one or more EEG sensors for detecting the brain waves.
5 . The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more EEG sensors detects electrical emissions from at least one of the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and hippocampus areas of the person's brain.
6 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an eye-tracking device that detects said person's eye and provides first data to the processing system indicative of an amount of the light from the first light source and the second light source being received by the person's eye,
wherein the processing system is configured to use the first data to adjust a duration of the brain stimulation session.
7 . The stimulation system of claim 6 wherein the eye-tracking device determines a person's gaze angle, and the first data corresponds to the person's gaze angle with respect to the first light source and the second light source.
8 . The stimulation system of claim 6 wherein the eye-tracking device determines a person's distance from the first light source and the second light source, and the first data corresponds to the person's distance to the first light source and the second light source.
9 . The stimulation system of claim 6 wherein the eye-tracking device determines a person's pupil size, and the first data corresponds to the person's pupil size.
10 . The stimulation system of claim 6 wherein the processing system is configured to extend the duration of the brain stimulation session based on the first data.
11 . The stimulation system of claim 6 further comprising a display of a duration of the brain stimulation session as the session is adjusted.
12 . The stimulation system of claim 6 wherein the eye-tracking device comprises a camera.
13 . The simulation system of claim 1 wherein the first light source generates light that alternates between at least two different colors, in a first set of colors, to generate heterochromatic flicker at the first brain stimulation rate, and wherein the second light source generates light that alternates between at least two different colors, in a second set of colors, to generate the heterochromatic flicker at the second brain stimulation rate.
14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first light source is strobed at the first brain stimulation rate, and wherein the second light source is strobed at the second brain stimulation rate.
15 . A brain stimulation method for a person comprising:
controlling a first light source only at a first brain stimulation rate in a gamma wave range between about 20-140 Hz; and
simultaneously controlling a second light source at a second brain stimulation rate of the first brain stimulation rate plus a theta wave range of 4-10 Hz;
detecting the person's brain waves using a feedback system and generating first signals that correspond to rhythmic patterns in the brain waves; and
controlling the one or more power supplies to adjust phases of the generated light from the first light source and the second light source to phase-lock the generated light to the rhythmic patterns in the brain waves to increase theta-gamma wave coupling in the person's brain.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the first light source comprises one or more first light emitting diodes (LEDs) controlled at the first brain stimulation rate, and the second light source comprises one or more second LEDs controlled at the second brain stimulation rate.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein detecting the person's brain waves comprises detecting the brain waves using one or more EEG sensors.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the first light source generates light that alternates between at least two different colors, in a first set of colors, to generate heterochromatic flicker at the first brain stimulation rate, and wherein the second light source generates light that alternates between at least two different colors, in a second set of colors, to generate the heterochromatic flicker at the second brain stimulation rate.