A Novel Method to Stimulate Lymphatic Clearance of Beta-Amyloid from Mouse Brain Using Noninvasive Music-Induced Opening of the Blood–Brain Barrier with EEG Markers

Abstract

The lymphatic system of the brain meninges and head plays a crucial role in the clearance of amyloid-β protein (Aβ), a peptide thought to be pathogenic in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), from the brain. The development of methods to modulate lymphatic clearance of Aβ from the brain coild be a revolutionary step in the therapy of AD. The opening of the blood–brain barrier (OBBB) by focused ultrasound is considered as a possible tool for stimulation of clearance of Aβ from the brain of humans and animals. Here, we propose an alternative method of noninvasive music-induced OBBB that is accompanied by the activation of clearance of fluorescent Aβ (Fαβ) from the mouse brain. Using confocal imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and magnetic resonance tomography, we clearly demonstrate that OBBB by music stimulates the movement of Fαβ and Omniscan in the cerebrospinal fluid and lymphatic clearance of Fαβ from the brain. We propose the extended detrended fluctuation analysis (EDFA) as a promising method for the identification of OBBB markers in the electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns. These pilot results suggest that music-induced OBBB and the EDFA analysis of EEG can be a noninvasive, low-cost, labeling-free, clinical perspective and completely new approach for the treatment and monitoring of AD.

Keywords

• music
• blood–brain barrier
• lymphatic system
• amyloid-β protein
• detrended fluctuation analysis
• electroencephalographic patterns