Syntropic Medical publishes first–in–human study on novel light therapy technology in PLOS One
Vienna, 7. October 2025
- On October 7, 2025, Syntropic Medical has announced the publication of its first- in-human study in PLOS One journal, demonstrating the early feasibility of its novel 60 Hz intermittent light stimulation (ILS) technology in humans.
- The research study evaluates the effect on brain activity of the light technology delivered via Syntropic early development device in a small cohort of healthy subjects.
- This study is the first research study to demonstrate the translation of Syntropic mechanism in humans, revealing which brain regions are activated, how they synchronize, and how plasticity is initiated using a safe, non-invasive, and non- pharmacological approach.
- It is followed by the LUX clinical trial, an early feasibility First-in-Patient study currently underway in a small cohort of patients with moderate MDD at the Institute of Psychiatry, University Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil, and by the NEON clinical trial at NYU Langone Health, New York, US, which investigates home-based 60 Hz stimulaiton in patients with moderate to severe MDD.
- HAVEN, Syntropic’s novel medical device, delivers non-invasive, 60 Hz intermittent light stimulation (ILS) to promote juvenile neuroplasticity and relieve symptoms of depression.
On October 7, 2025, Syntropic Medical has announced the publication of its first-in- human study in PLOS One journal, demonstrating that 60 Hz flickering white light induces strong and widespread neural entrainment, the synchronization of brainwave activity to an external rhythmic stimulus, across multiple regions of the human brain. This synchronization reduces over time, reflecting an adaptive increase in neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize, form new connections, and adapt to stimuli: a process often disrupted in mental health disorders such as depression. “This publication in the journal PLOS One marks the very first evidence of our technology in humans and demonstrates its ability to safely and effectively engage the brain,” said Dr. Alessandro Venturino, Head of Research at Syntropic Medical. “It lays the foundation for our ongoing clinical development, where we aim to translate this unique mechanism into meaningful treatments for depression.”
Major depressive disorder (MDD) remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, with current treatments often failing to provide full remission or tolerability. By leveraging juvenile neuroplasticity through light-based brain stimulation, Syntropic Medical seeks to provide a safe, non-invasive, and accessible alternative therapy.
The publication represents the company’s first peer-reviewed milestone and supports the rationale for ongoing clinical trials in patient populations, including the LUX and NEON studies.
The Research Study
The early feasibility, first-in-human study is a randomized, two-arm controlled trial conducted with 12 healthy participants (6 active, 6 sham). Active 60 Hz flickering light is compared with a sham constant light condition across three time points: day 1, day 5, and day 19.
Primary endpoints assess safety, tolerability, and user experience, including incidence of device-related adverse events and participant feedback via questionnaires. Exploratory endpoints evaluate brain entrainment and synchronization using EEG, as well as cortisol level changes measured from saliva samples.
Results show that 60 Hz ILS effectively induced strong, widespread neural entrainment across visual, parietal, temporal, and frontal cortices. The technology is safe and well tolerated, with no significant adverse events. Minor transient effects such as sleepiness and eye strain are reported but diminished over time.
About Syntropic
Syntropic is an Austria-based clinical stage medical device company spun out of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) by Mark Caffrey, Jack O’Keeffe, Dr. Alessandro Venturino, and Prof. Sandra Siegert. The company is developing new technologies that enhance the brain’s neuroplasticity, allowing for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and the improvement of cognition. Syntropic’s mission is to advance mental health care through the development of innovative technologies that target underlying causes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression.
About PLOS One
PLOS One is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, open-access mega-journal published by the Public Library of Science since 2006. It assesses research solely on methodological rigor and ethical standards. Its broad scope and inclusive approach make it a respected platform for neuromodulation research, such as brain-based stimulation technologies.
About Researchers MohammadAmin Alamalhoda, Dr. Alessandro Venturino and Dr. Maria Teresa Ferretti
MohammadAmin Alamalhoda
R&D Engineer at Syntropic Medical
Amin is a Research and Development Engineer at Syntropic, with a background in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran.
With over six years of experience in deep learning, signal processing, systems neuroscience, software development, and hardware prototyping, he enjoys diving into new technologies and tackling complex challenges. During his studies, Amin researched the effects of 40Hz flickering light on both healthy individuals and Alzheimer’s Disease patients, using EEG and signal processing techniques. As a strong advocate for open-source software, Amin actively contributes to various open- source projects.
Dr. Alessandro Venturino, PhD
Co-Founder and Head of Research at Syntropic Medical
Alessandro is co-founder and Head of Research of Syntropic Medical, where he spearheads research advancements, drawing on his extensive experience in Neurophysiology.
He studied Biomedicine at the University of Pavia (Italy) and during his thesis, he performed electrophysiology and neuronal network modeling in the vestibular system. Afterward, he obtained a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology at the University of Pavia working on the role of microglia in the central auditory pathway. He then moved to the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), in the group of Prof. Siegert as a research scientist. At ISTA he is applying advanced imaging and electrophysiology techniques to study how microglia interact with neurons in healthy and pathological conditions. His study about microglia response to ketamine and pulsed light was selected by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) as one of the 100 hot topics in neuroscience 2019. He was a visiting scientist at Femtonics/Hungarian Academy of Science (Budapest, Hungary) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Cambridge, USA).
In 2023 he co-founded Syntropic Medical, where he is the Head of Research.
Dr. Maria Teresa Ferretti, PhD
Clinical Operations and Partnerships Manager at Syntropic Medical
Maria Teresa is a Neuroscientist and science advocate, bringing 20+ years of global experience in brain research to Syntropic Medical in her role of Clinical Development Lead. She holds a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Cagliari (Italy) and a PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics from McGill University (Canada). As a postdoc and group leader she worked at the University of Zurich (Switzerland) in the group of prof Nitsch, where aducanumab, the first FDA-approved disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s was discovered.
In 2016, she co-founded the ‘Women’s Brain Project’ (WBP) a non-profit exploring the impact of sex and gender on brain and mental health for precision medicine, where she served as Chief Scientific Officer. Maria Teresa has a passion for bridging innovation to patients needs, and her dedication to scientific communication is evident through multiple keynote lectures, media appearances, TED-x talks, and two authored books for the lay public.
Maria Teresa is a well known expert in neuroimmune interactions and sex and gender differences in brain disorders. She is faculty member of the Certificate for Advanced Studies (CAS) in Gender Medicine at the University of Zurich, an affiliated researcher at the Center of Alzheimer Research (CAR) at Karolinska, an External Teacher (Privat Dozent) at the Medical University in Vienna and a Fellow of The European Academy of Neurology (FEAN).
For more information, please contact:
Mark Caffrey
CEO of Syntropic Medical info@syntropicmedical.com
Syntropic Medical GmbH Plöcking 1
3400 Klosterneuburg www.syntropicmedical.com
Follow Syntropic on LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/company/syntropicmedical
Link to the full article:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0332310