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When the brain plays together

Brain waves offer new hope in the treatment of depression

Can you “tune” the brain out of depression? Psychologist and researcher Nikolas Aasheim from Psychiatric Center Copenhagen is investigating how the brain’s electrical rhythms are connected to our mental well-being – and whether they can be strengthened through new, non-invasive methods such as flashing light. His research suggests that influencing brain waves may become a new, gentle path in the treatment of depression.
By Marie Schultz

The brain as an orchestra
Imagine the brain as an orchestra. Every brain cell plays along in a symphony of electrical signals, and when the rhythm is in sync, we feel mentally clear and balanced. But when the music goes off – when the brain’s rhythms are disrupted – it can be felt in our thoughts, feelings and mood.

According to psychologist and brain researcher Nikolas Aasheim, the brain’s electrical oscillations – the so-called brain waves – can tell us a lot about our mental state. In the lecture “The brain as an orchestra”, arranged in collaboration with DepressionsForeningen, he explained how the brain’s different rhythms – from slow delta waves during sleep to fast gamma waves when we concentrate – together form a complex interplay that reflects our state of mind:

“We have around 86 billion ‘musicians’ in the brain, and they’re not playing at random – they create rhythms. Waves reflect our mental state: whether we are happy, focused, calm or stressed.”

Brain waves are divided into different rhythms: slow delta waves in deep sleep, theta during dreaming and meditation, alpha when we are resting, and fast beta and gamma when we think, focus and learn new things.

The gamma waves in particular – the brain’s fastest rhythm – have attracted researchers’ attention. They appear when we concentrate, process sensory impressions and form new connections. They seem to be crucial for the brain to work efficiently as a whole.

But gamma waves are often weakened in depression and with age. Researchers have seen that low gamma activity is associated with low mood and reduced energy. In animal studies, it has even been possible to recreate depressive symptoms by dampening gamma waves – and to lift mood again by stimulating them.

The illustration shows the different frequency bands in which the brain can operate

When light and sound can “tune” the brain

This is where the idea of gamma entrainment comes in – “capturing” the brain back into rhythm with the help of external stimuli. If, for example, you are exposed to a flashing light or a rhythmic sound, the brain begins to oscillate in sync.

Nikolas Aasheim explains it like tuning a radio:
“When you look at a light that flashes 40 times per second, the brain starts to vibrate at the same tempo.”

In experiments with mice, researchers have seen that one hour of daily stimulation with 40 Hz light not only activates the gamma rhythm – it also spreads to memory and emotional areas of the brain, improves cognition and helps the brain cleanse itself of waste products.

Although this research began in connection with Alzheimer’s disease, new studies suggest that the effect may also be relevant for depression.

Researchers can read the brain’s electrical signals using EEG - a method used to understand how the brain works

Research team testing light therapy

Patients with depression are given a special lamp that emits a faint, flickering 40 Hz light. Participants use the lamp for one hour a day over six weeks, while the researchers measure their brain waves and symptoms.

The trial is double-blind, so no one knows who receives “real” or “sham” light – this is to ensure scientific accuracy. The preliminary results suggest that the brain does in fact begin to produce more gamma waves again, but whether it also alleviates depression is something the coming years will show.

A participant at the lecture expressed the hope that many share:
– “From all of us who have depression, I just want to say – go for it! I’m really happy that you are working on this, it’s super good.”

Hope for a new, gentle method for depression
A number of people with depression experience that medication and therapy do not work sufficiently. For them, a method like gamma light treatment could become an important supplement – an opportunity to influence the brain directly, with no or only few, mild side effects.

People respond differently to the treatment, but overall there have been very few side effects in the study. The most prominent one is that participants can feel a bit tired after using the lamp. A few have experienced mild nausea or a slight headache. All in all, the side effects are limited and minimal.

Gamma light treatment is not a replacement for existing therapies, but a possible supplement – a way of restoring the brain’s rhythm in a gentle way. Some people actually report that the light lamp helps with their sleep.

With rhythm and light, we may be able to help the brain find its melody again – and offer hope of a brighter mind.

The results of the project are expected to be ready in June 2026.

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This article is based on Nikolas Aasheim’s online lecture “The brain as an orchestra” on 14 October 2025.

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