Can listening to a low hum destroy Alzheimer’s brain plaques?

LISTENING to low-pitched noise seems to induce high-speed brainwaves that break down protein plaques in the brain linked with Alzheimer’s. The approach has had promising results in mice and is now being tested in people with the condition.

Brainwaves are the result of large networks of brain cells firing rhythmically and in synchrony. Much about their function is unclear, but measuring these waves via electrodes on the scalp tells us that their frequency tends to reflect how awake and alert we feel.

Brainwaves are slowest during deep sleep, and faster when we’re awake and relaxed. The fastest brainwaves are…