As featured on 60 Minutes — GENUS protocol

The 40 Hz GENUS Protocol
— Now Available at Home

Based on research from MIT's Tsai Lab. Synchronized 40 Hz gamma entrainment using audio tones, flicker, and haptic vibration — directly in your browser. No download required.

Free to use · Works in any browser · No App Store needed

What Is the GENUS Protocol?

GENUS — Gamma ENtrainment Using Sensory Stimuli — is a research protocol developed at MIT's Tsai Lab and published in peer-reviewed journals including Nature and Cell.

The protocol uses precisely timed 40 Hz stimuli — light flicker, audio tones, and vibration — to drive gamma oscillations in the brain. In multiple studies, 40 Hz gamma entrainment has been associated with measurable changes in neural activity, including in regions affected by Alzheimer's disease.

The research was featured on 60 Minutes, bringing the science to a mainstream audience for the first time. Neurosonos makes the same 40 Hz gamma entrainment approach accessible to anyone with a phone and headphones.

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Published at MIT Research from the Tsai Lab at MIT's Picower Institute. Lead investigator: Li-Huei Tsai, PhD.
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40 Hz Gamma Frequency Gamma oscillations (30–100 Hz) are associated with higher-order cognitive functions. The 40 Hz band is central to the GENUS research.
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Multisensory Entrainment Combined audio + visual + haptic stimulation at 40 Hz has shown stronger entrainment effects in research than single-channel approaches.

40 Hz Gamma Entrainment at Home

Neurosonos delivers synchronized 40 Hz stimulation across three channels. The app handles all timing automatically — you select a protocol and press play.

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🎧 Audio: 40 Hz Isochronic Tones

Your headphones deliver 40 Hz isochronic audio pulses — a steady beat at exactly 40 times per second that entrains auditory cortex gamma activity. No binaural tricks — pure isochronic pulses that work even in mono.

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📱 Visual: 40 Hz Screen Flicker

The screen pulses at 40 Hz — the same frequency used in Tsai Lab research. This engages the visual cortex, which has strong projections into regions important for memory and cognition. Enable full brightness for best results.

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📳 Haptic: 40 Hz Vibration

Your phone vibrates at 40 Hz using the Web Vibration API. Tactile 40 Hz stimulation adds a third channel of entrainment, consistent with the multisensory approach in published GENUS research.

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🔄 All Three Synchronized

All three channels are phase-locked and synchronized. The synchrony matters — the brain's response to coherent multisensory stimulation is well-documented in the literature as producing stronger entrainment than isolated channels.

40 Hz Alzheimer's Protocol — and More

The GENUS protocol for Alzheimer's and cognitive wellness is the flagship, but Neurosonos includes protocols across a range of conditions — each using appropriate brainwave entrainment frequencies and mechanisms.

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Sleep
Delta wave entrainment (0.5–4 Hz) + theta onset tones. Designed for sleep onset and deep sleep stages.
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Anxiety
Alpha frequency entrainment (8–13 Hz). Associated with calm alertness and reduced anxiety in published literature.
Focus / ADHD
Beta entrainment (14–30 Hz). Supports attentive, concentrated cognitive states. Studied in ADHD populations.
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Pain
Rhythmic auditory stimulation at frequencies associated with pain gate modulation and endogenous opioid release.
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Parkinson's Gait
Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) at walking cadence frequencies. Based on established gait rehabilitation literature.

The Peer-Reviewed Research Behind GENUS

Neurosonos is built on published, peer-reviewed neuroscience. We make no medical claims. We use language grounded in the evidence: "based on research," "user-reported experiences," and "explore the science." Here is the research we build on.

MIT Tsai Lab — GENUS Research

The foundational 2016 paper in Nature (Iaccarino et al.) showed that 40 Hz flickering light reduced amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau in the visual cortex of mouse models. Follow-up work showed that combining auditory 40 Hz stimulation amplified the effect across wider cortical areas, and a 2023 human trial phase demonstrated the safety and feasibility of the approach in Alzheimer's patients.

The lab's work is ongoing. Cognito Therapeutics — a spinoff from the research — ran the OVERTURE Phase II trial of a similar device. Neurosonos is a software implementation of the same 40 Hz gamma entrainment principles, accessible to anyone.

Get Updates on Neurosonos Premium

The research behind our protocols was recently featured on 60 Minutes. Join the waitlist for session tracking, guided progressions, and family accounts. Core protocols stay free — always.

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Try the GENUS Protocol Free — Right Now

No download. No account. Works on any phone or tablet. Open in your browser and start in under 30 seconds.

Works in any browser No App Store needed All protocols included Free to use
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Select "Alzheimer's / GENUS" protocol to start with 40 Hz gamma entrainment

Frequently Asked Questions

GENUS stands for Gamma ENtrainment Using Sensory Stimuli. It was developed at MIT's Tsai Lab (Picower Institute for Learning and Memory) under Prof. Li-Huei Tsai. The protocol uses precisely timed sensory stimulation at 40 Hz — matching the gamma brainwave frequency — to drive neural oscillations. It was featured on 60 Minutes following years of published research.

No. Neurosonos is a wellness app, not a medical device, and has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. It is a software tool that implements 40 Hz gamma entrainment as described in published peer-reviewed research. Always consult a physician before using any wellness tool, especially if you have a neurological condition.

No special equipment is required. Neurosonos runs in any modern web browser on a phone, tablet, or computer. Headphones are strongly recommended for the 40 Hz audio channel. Your phone's screen provides the visual flicker and your phone's vibration motor provides haptic stimulation. No external hardware is needed.

All protocols — including the 40 Hz Alzheimer's GENUS protocol — are free to use right now. Premium features (session tracking, guided progressions, family accounts) are in development. Core entrainment protocols will remain free.

No. Anyone with photosensitive epilepsy, a history of seizures, or other neurological conditions should not use the visual flicker feature without explicit physician guidance. 40 Hz flickering light can trigger seizures in susceptible individuals. Please consult a neurologist before use.

The MIT research typically used 1-hour daily sessions. Neurosonos lets you choose session length. User-reported experiences suggest benefit from 30–60 minute daily use. We do not make claims about optimal dosing — these are user-reported experiences, not clinical findings from our product specifically.

Important Disclaimer: Neurosonos is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This product has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The information on this page is based on published peer-reviewed research and is provided for educational purposes. User experiences described are self-reported and not clinical outcomes from controlled trials. If you have a medical condition, consult your physician before use. Do not use the visual flicker feature if you have photosensitive epilepsy or a history of seizures.