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News | Oct. 25, 2018

Team led by 2014 Vannevar Bush Fellow Dr. Charan Ranganath Finds that Brain Wave Device Could Enhance Memory Function

Electrical activity in the brain causes different kinds of measurable brain waves. One of these is the theta wave, which is associated with a brain actively motoring a task -like navigating a maze.  There is still debate among neuroscientists on their role and function. Some think that these waves have no role and are just a product of regular brain activity. Others, like Dr. Charan Ranganath, believe that they may play a role in coordinating brain regions. In a new study published in Cognitive Neuroscience, Dr. Ranganath and his team demonstrated a link between theta activity and episodic memory retrieval. Further, they found that a combination of sound and light to stimulate theta brain wave activity (called 'entrainment’) enhanced theta wave activity and memory performance.

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