Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that primarily affects older adults and is characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral disturbances. Currently, AD ranks as the fifth leading cause of death worldwide which has got World Health Organization (WHO)'s attention. Disruptions in gamma-band neural oscillations have been identified as a potential mechanism underlying cognitive impairment in AD. Hence gamma rhythm stimulation has become a novel therapeutic intervention. This approach has been shown to enhance cognitive function in individuals with AD and, in some cases, to facilitate cognitive improvement in healthy adults. The present study investigated the effects of 40 Hz binaural-beat auditory stimulation on cognitive inhibitory control, as well as the moderating roles of age and stimulus modality. Fifty-three healthy participants were recruited and assigned to one of three groups: 40 Hz auditory stimulation, normal auditory stimulation, or a no-sound control condition. Participants completed a Stroop task, and the behavioral performance, including accuracy and reaction time, served as the dependent variables. Results indicated no significant differences in accuracy among different age groups. However, reaction time exhibited a clear age gradient: younger adults responded fastest, older adults slowest, and middle-aged adults in between. Furthermore, accuracy in both auditory stimulation groups was lower than in the control condition, suggesting a potential inhibitory effect of 40 Hz auditory input on task performance. The potential reason is discussed. These findings support the processing speed theory and extend the interference failure–noise hypothesis by highlighting the role of gamma-frequency auditory stimulation in modulating cognitive performance. Moreover, the results offer insights for the development of cognitive enhancement strategies and potential interventions for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The study highlights the importance of considering age as a critical moderating factor in cognitive training.

Sun Shuyue, Wang Junlu. Gamma Rhythms and Cognitive Function: A Study Based on 40-Hz Binaural-Beat Stimulation and the Stroop Task. The Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 7: 85-90. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSST.2025.070713.

[1] Koseoglu, E. (2023). New treatment modalities in Alzheimer's disease. World Journal of Psychiatry, 13(12), 884-900. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v13.i12.884

[2] World Health Organization. (2021). Global status report on the public health response to dementia. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240033245

[3] National Institute on Aging. (2025). 2025 NIH Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research progress report: Advances and achievements. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nia.nih.gov/about/2025-nih-dementia-research-progress-report

[4] China Alzheimer's Disease Report 2021. (2021). Journal Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. http://qk.sjtu.edu.cn/jdcp/article/2021/1671-2870/1671-2870-20-04-317.shtmlDavis, K. L., & Powchik, P. (1995). Tacrine. Lancet, 345, 625–630. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(95)90505-5

[5] Kabir, M. T., et al. (2020). Combination drug therapy for the management of Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(9), 3272. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21093272

[6] Davis, K. L., & Powchik, P. (1995). Tacrine. Lancet, 345, 625–630. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(95)90505-5

[7] Iaccarino, H. F., Singer, A. C., Martorell, A. J., Rudenko, A., Gao, F., Gillingham, T. Z., ... & Tsai, L. H. (2016). Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia. Nature, 540(7632), 230-235. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20587

[8] Martorell, A. J., Paulson, A. L., Suk, H. J., Abdurrob, F., Drummond, G. T., Guan, W., ... & Tsai, L. H. (2019). Multi-sensory gamma stimulation ameliorates Alzheimer’s-associated pathology and improves cognition. Cell, 177(2), 256-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.014

[9] Cognito Therapeutics. (2022). A randomized, controlled trial of multi-sensory gamma stimulation in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (NCT03556280). AAIC 2022 Annual Conference Abstract；

[10] Polanía, R., Nitsche, M. A., & Ruff, C. C. (2022). Studying and modifying brain function with non-invasive brain stimulation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 23, 21-42. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-021-00548-3

[11] Santarnecchi, E., et al. (2019). Gamma tACS improves abstract reasoning in healthy adults. Cerebral Cortex, 29, 715–723. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhy270

[12] Adaikkan, C., Middleton, S. J., Marco, A., Pao, P. C., Mathys, H., Kim, D. N. W., ... & Tsai, L. H. (2019). Gamma entrainment binds higher-order brain regions and offers neuroprotection. Neuron, 102(5), 929-943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.010

[13] Antal, A., Paulus, W., & Nitsche, M. A. (2008). Electrical stimulation and visual network plasticity. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 26(1), 1–6.

[14] Reedijk, S. A., Bolders, A., Colzato, L. S., & Hommel, B. (2015). Eliminating the attentional blink through binaural beats: A case for tailored cognitive enhancement. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 6, 82.

[15] Klichowski, M., & Król, M. E. (2023). Binaural beats do not enhance but rather impair fluid intelligence performance. PLoS ONE, 18(1), e0280130.

[16] von Krause, M., & Rieger, J. (2021). Mental speed is high until age 60 as revealed by analysis of over a million participants. Nature Human Behaviour, 5, 1004–1013. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01157-7

[17] Gajewski, P. D., & Falkenstein, M. (2022). Age-related changes in cognitive control: Evidence from ERP studies. Psychophysiology, 59(3), e13958. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13958

[18] Chen Tianyong, Han Buxin, and Li Deming (2004). The Cognitive Aging-Executive Decline Hypothesis. Journal of Psychology, 12(5),729–736.

[19] Salthouse, T. A. (1996). The processing-speed theory of adult age differences in cognition. Psychological Review, 103(3), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.103.3.403