Researchers to Explore Sleep-Enhancing Sounds for Dementia Prevention

Western University researchers received a $1.1 million grant from the Weston Family Foundation to explore the potential of phase-locked auditory stimulation—playing gentle sounds during sleep—to enhance memory and brain health in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and potentially prevent dementia. Led by Laura Batterink, PhD, the study aims to improve slow-wave sleep and break the cycle of poor sleep and declining brain health. The study will be conducted in two phases, first in a lab and then at participants’ homes, to assess the method’s effectiveness and scalability.