Context: Recent studies and anecdotal reports suggest that binaural auditory beats can affect mood, performance on vigilance tasks, and anxiety.

Objective: To determine whether mildly anxious people would report decreased anxiety after listening daily for 1 month to tapes imbedded with tones that create binaural beats, and whether they would show a definite tape preference among 3 tapes.

Design: A 1-group pre-posttest pilot study.

Setting: Patients' homes.

Participants: A volunteer sample of 15 mildly anxious patients seen in the Clinique Psyché, Montreal, Quebec.

Intervention: Participants were asked to listen at least 5 times weekly for 4 weeks to 1 or more of 3 music tapes containing tones that produce binaural beats in the electroencephalogram delta/theta frequency range. Participants also were asked to record tape usage, tape preference, and anxiety ratings in a journal before and after listening to the tape or tapes.

Main Outcome Measures: Anxiety ratings before and after tape listening, pre- and post-study State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores, and tape preferences documented in daily journals.

Results: Listening to the binaural beat tapes resulted in a significant reduction in the anxiety score reported daily in patients' diaries. The number of times participants listened to the tapes in 4 weeks ranged from 10 to 17 (an average of 1.4 to 2.4 times per week) for approximately 30 minutes per session. End-of-study tape preferences indicated that slightly more participants preferred tape B, with its pronounced and extended patterns of binaural beats, over tapes A and C. Changes in pre- and posttest listening State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores trended toward a reduction of anxiety, but these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Listening to binaural beat tapes in the delta/theta electroencephalogram range may be beneficial in reducing mild anxiety. Future studies should account for music preference among participants and include age as a factor in outcomes, incentives to foster tape listening, and a physiologic measure of anxiety reduction. A controlled trial that includes binaural beat tapes as an adjunctive treatment to conventional therapy for mild anxiety may be warranted.

The effect of sleep deprivation on psychophysical performance and well-being is comprehensively investigated. Research investigating the effect of improved sleep is rare. Just as little exists about attempts to support athletic mental state and performance by improving sleep quality. This study aims to investigate whether sleep quality of top athletes can be improved by auditory brainwave entrainment and whether this leads to enhancements of post-sleep psychophysical states. In a pilot study, 15 young elite soccer players were stimulated for eight weeks during sleep with binaural beats around 2-8 Hz. Once a week after wake-up, participants completed three different questionnaires: a sleep diary, an adjective list for psychophysical and motivational state, and a self-assessment questionnaire for sleep and awakening quality. Fifteen sport students executed the same protocol sleeping on the same pillow, but without stimulation. Subjective ratings of sleep and awakening quality, sleepiness and motivational state were significantly improved only in the intervention group, but did not impact their perceived physical state. In summary, eight weeks of auditory stimulation with binaural beats improved perceived sleep quality and the post-sleep state of athletes, whereas the effect on physical level is assumed to occur in a time-delayed fashion. It seems to be worthwhile - to further elaborate long-time effects and consequences on physical and mental performance.

Context: According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2011, chronic pain affected from approximately 10% to >50% of the adult population in the United States, with a cost of $61 billion to US businesses annually.

Objective: The pilot study assessed the effects that an external, audio, neural stimulus of theta binaural beats (TBB) had on returning the brain neurosignature for chronic pain to homeostasis.

Methods: The quantitative, experimental, repeated-measures crossover study compared the results of 2 interventions in 2 time-order sequences. An a priori analysis indicated a sample size of 28 participants was needed for a 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Setting: The study was conducted in Richmond, VA, USA, with participants recruited from the financial sector.

Participants: Thirty-six US adults with various types of chronic pain, and with a median age of 47 y, ranging in ages from 26-69 y, participated in the study. The study experienced 4 dropouts.

Intervention: Participants listened to 2 recordings-one using TBB at 6 Hz (TBB intervention) and one using a placebo of a nonbinaural beat tone of 300 Hz (sham intervention) for 20 min daily. Both interventions lasted 14 successive days each, with some participants hearing the TBB intervention first and the sham intervention second and some hearing them in the reverse order. Participants listened to the interventions via a Web site on the Internet or via a compact disc. Interviews were conducted either in person or telephonically with e-mail support.

Outcome Measures: Using the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), potential changes in perceived severity of chronic pain were measured (1) at baseline; (2) after the first test at 14 d, either TBB or sham intervention; and (3) after the second test at 28 d-either TBB or sham intervention. The analysis compared the average mean for pretest and first and second posttest scores.

Results: The analysis indicated a large main effect for the TBB intervention in reducing perceived pain severity, P<.001 (F2,60=84.98, r=0.74). Although the TBB and the placebo interventions both reduced the pain scores, a post hoc Bonferroni correction that compared pairs of MPI scores found a 77% larger drop in the mean for the TBB intervention, from M=4.60 at pretest to M=2.74 at the end of both TBB periods than in the mean for the sham intervention, with a change from M=4.60 at pretest to M=4.17 at the end of both sham periods.

Conclusions: The results supported the hypothesis that an external audio protocol of TBB was effective in reducing perceived pain severity for participants.

Binaural beating is a perceptual auditory illusion occurring when presenting two neighboring frequencies to each ear separately. Several controversial claims have been attributed to binaural beats regarding their ability to entrain human brain activity and mood, in both the scientific literature and the marketing realm. Here, we sought to address those questions in a robust fashion using a single-blind, active-controlled protocol. To do so, we compared the effects of binaural beats with a control beat stimulation (monaural beats, known to entrain brain activity but not mood) across four distinct levels in the human auditory pathway: subcortical and cortical entrainment, scalp-level functional connectivity and self-reports. Both stimuli elicited standard subcortical responses at the pure tone frequencies of the stimulus [i.e., frequency following response (FFR)], and entrained the cortex at the beat frequency [i.e., auditory steady state response (ASSR)]. Furthermore, functional connectivity patterns were modulated differentially by both kinds of stimuli, with binaural beats being the only one eliciting cross-frequency activity. Despite this, we did not find any mood modulation related to our experimental manipulation. Our results provide evidence that binaural beats elicit cross frequency connectivity patterns, but weakly entrain the cortex when compared with monaural beat stimuli. Whether binaural beats have an impact on cognitive performance or other mood measurements remains to be seen and can be further investigated within the proposed methodological framework.

Binaural beats are an auditory phenomenon that occurs when two tones of different frequencies, which are presented separately to each ear, elicit the sensation of a third tone oscillating at the difference frequency of the two tones. Binaural beats can be perceived in the frequency range of about 1–30 Hz, a range that coincides with the main human EEG frequency bands. The brainwave entrainment hypothesis, which assumes that external stimulation at a certain frequency leads to the brain’s electrocortical activity oscillating at the same frequency, provides the basis for research on the effects of binaural beat stimulation on cognitive and affective states. Studies, particularly in more applied fields, usually refer to neuroscientific research demonstrating that binaural beats elicit systematic changes in EEG parameters. At first glance, however, the available literature on brainwave entrainment effects due to binaural beat stimulation appears to be inconclusive at best. The aim of the present systematic review is, thus, to synthesize existing empirical research. A sample of fourteen published studies met our criteria for inclusion. The results corroborate the impression of an overall inconsistency of empirical outcomes, with five studies reporting results in line with the brainwave entrainment hypothesis, eight studies reporting contradictory, and one mixed results. What is to be noticed is that the fourteen studies included in this review were very heterogeneous regarding the implementation of the binaural beats, the experimental designs, and the EEG parameters and analyses. The methodological heterogeneity in this field of study ultimately limits the comparability of research outcomes. The results of the present systematic review emphasize the need for standardization in study approaches so as to allow for reliable insight into brainwave entrainment effects in the future.

A recent study showed that binaural beats have an impact on the efficiency of allocating attention over time. We were interested to see whether this impact affects attentional focusing or, even further, the top-down control over irrelevant information. Healthy adults listened to gamma-frequency (40 Hz) binaural beats, which are assumed to increase attentional concentration, or a constant tone of 340 Hz (control condition) for 3 min before and during a global–local task. While the size of the congruency effect (indicating the failure to suppress task-irrelevant information) was unaffected by the binaural beats, the global-precedence effect (reflecting attentional focusing) was considerably smaller after gamma-frequency binaural beats than after the control condition. Our findings suggest that high-frequency binaural beats bias the individual attentional processing style towards a reduced spotlight of attention.

Today, binaural and monaural beats are offered over the Internet or by mental health institutes to improve wellbeing or cognitive functioning. This improvement is explained by the assumption that the brain adapts its brainwave frequency to the frequency of the auditory beat. The present study examined the effects of binaural and monaural beat stimulation on attention and working memory in high and low emotional participants. A group of 24 participants (16 females, 8 males) between 19 and 31 years old (M = 22.33, SD = 3.42) performed a Flanker task to measure attention and a Klingberg task to measure working memory while listening to white noise (WN), 40 Hz gamma binaural beat (BB) and 40 Hz gamma monaural beat (MB). Speed of performance on all three levels of difficulty of the Flanker attention task was faster under the BB and MB condition than under WN. No differences were found between BB and MB conditions. With respect to the quality of performance on the Flanker attention task and the Klingberg working memory task no significant differences under the WN, MB, and BB condition were found. Finally, as participants with low or high emotionality did not respond differently to BB and MB under any of the conditions, effects of BB and MB seem similar in high and low emotional participants. The present study supports the notion that faster attention processing may equally be attributed to the influence of BB and MB. Further research is recommended to gain more insight in the role of factors such as duration of stimulation of BB and MB, frequency range, most appropriate carrier tones, and the role of personality traits.

Tinnitus manifests itself in many ways. In addition to the annoyance it causes, it may also result in anxiety, stress, depression, fatigue, and a general state of poor health. The psychological symptoms may well start prior to the onset of tinnitus. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach to the problem is appropriate.

Tinntrain is a highly individualized, multi-factorial treatment concept for tinnitus administered by a specially trained team. It includes a portable mp3 player that the patient can carry anywhere and can use at home or in bed if the patient suffers from insomnia associated with tinnitus.

One of the most important elements of the Tinntrain relaxation methodology is the Brain Wave Entrainment (BWE) technique. BWE is based on the principle of stimulation frequencies and binaural beats. The human brain has a tendency to replace its dominant electrical response frequency and mimic or copy the frequency of an external stimulus, encouraging brainwave adjustment, balance and relaxation. Using the principle of “frequency following response,” the brain reproduces the frequency it receives via auditory or visual stimulation, leading to the desired change, i.e., relaxation, by reducing the excessive beta wave frequencies, which may exacerbate the reaction to tinnitus, and substituting alpha waves, which promote calmness and tranquility.

This research investigated the efficacy of brainwave (audio) entrainment by means of isochronic tones in the Schumann resonance frequency (7.83 Hz), to better understand if their use might mitigate or eliminate symptoms associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Entrainment is the rhythmic matching of neurons, or oscillators, with an external stimulus and is found throughout nature (Granada & Herzel, 2009). In the United States, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness, with more than 6.8 million adults experiencing symptoms of GAD. When combined, all types of anxiety disorder affect approximately 40 million adults, or 18% of the population (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Audio entrainment, as isochronic tones, is an effective, low cost treatment with apparently few to no side effects and requires no special training or expertise; it can be used whenever and wherever needed.

Twenty participants listened to masked isochronic tones in the Schumann resonance frequency during the 15-day single-group interrupted time-series trial (Creswell, 2009). Data was collected before and after the intervention using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) assessments. Participants also completed a daily log and end-of-study questionnaire.

Baseline and post-study data from the STAI, BAI, and PSS were assessed using a combination of descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Results indicated significantly improved scores post-treatment on all three measures. Daily log responses were subjected to descriptive statistics, which suggested that both anxiety and mood were improved post-study. Finally, data suggests that the effects of the isochronic tones tended to last 2-3 hours after the treatment recording had ended.

This research demonstrated that isochronic tones in the Schumann resonance frequency could have a positive influence on anxiety and mood. The nature of isochronic tones as a non- prescription, non-invasive, and non-addictive mind-body approach might render them attractive as either an adjunct or stand-alone treatment for anxiety. To learn of their potential, larger studies in more controlled environments will be needed.

The dichotic presentation of two almost equivalent pure tones with slightly different frequencies leads to virtual beat perception by the brain. In this phenomenon, the so-called binaural beat has a frequency equaling the difference of the frequencies of the two pure tones. The binaural beat can entrain neural activities to synchronize with the beat frequency and induce behavioral states related to the neural activities. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a 3-Hz binaural beat on sleep stages, which is considered a behavioral state. Twenty-four participants were allocated to experimental and control groups. The experimental period was three consecutive nights consisting of an adaptation night, a baseline night, and an experimental night. Participants in both groups underwent the same procedures, but only the experimental group was exposed to the 3-Hz binaural beat on the experimental night. The stimulus was initiated when the first epoch of the N2 sleep stage was detected and stopped when the first epoch of the N3 sleep stage detected. For the control group, a silent sham stimulus was used. However, the participants were blinded to their stimulus group. The results showed that the N3 duration of the experimental group was longer than that of the control group, and the N2 duration of the experimental group was shorter than that of the control group. Moreover, the N3 latency of the experimental group was shorter.

This systematic review is dedicated to deepening the study of two phenomena: binaural beats and isochronic tones. Data from the scientific literature suggest the existence of a promising therapeutic potential in neurology and psychophysiology due to their influence on specific frequencies of brain waves and their implications for mental health and homeostasis of brain neurotransmitters. Prolonged audio stimuli in repetitive and synchronized manner may induce changes in brain waves patterns and, consequently, modulating neurophysiological, and behavioral responses. The literature review was conducted using PUBMED, MEDLINE, LILLACS, and SCIENCE DIRECT online platforms using the search words: “audio brain entrainment,” “auditory beat stimulation, “ “binaural beats,” “brainwave entrainment (BWE),” and “isochronic tones.” The search yielded 674 studies, of which 49 were in duplicate, and 592 were out of the scope of this review, and, therefore, were excluded from the study. The remaining studies were analyzed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews, resulting in 33 randomized, controlled clinical trials that were then evaluated by the Jadad scale. From that, 17 studies obtained a score of three points or more on the Jadad scale. These studies were fully read and critically analyzed. Binaural beats were used in 15 studies (88.25%), whereas isochronic tones were used only in two studies (11.76%). Although most of the studies reviewed here indicated audio BWE effectiveness, some positive outcomes may require further investigation, with more refined and appropriate evaluation tools, better suited for each specific type of intervention and/or therapeutic target. Considering these limitations, the performance of additional studies with more adequate experimental design and data analysis is recommended, particularly focusing on the neurophysiological and behavioral effects of brain wave entrainment on mental states.

Auditory beat stimulation may be a promising new tool for the manipulation of cognitive processes and the modulation of mood states. Here, we aim to review the literature examining the most current applications of auditory beat stimulation and its targets. We give a brief overview of research on auditory steady-state responses and its relationship to auditory beat stimulation (ABS). We have summarized relevant studies investigating the neurophysiological changes related to ABS and how they impact upon the design of appropriate stimulation protocols. Focusing on binaural-beat stimulation, we then discuss the role of monaural- and binaural-beat frequencies in cognition and mood states, in addition to their efficacy in targeting disease symptoms. We aim to highlight important points concerning stimulation parameters and try to address why there are often contradictory findings with regard to the outcomes of ABS.