Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study

Abstract Binaural beats (BB) are a non‐acoustic perception generated when two pure tones with a slight mismatch in frequency are presented separately to each ear. The aims of our study were to analyze the ability of 6‐Hz BB in entraining cortical activity, altering cortical connectivity, and influen...

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Main Authors: Irene Scala, Jessica Marotta, Valerio Brunetti, Filippo Del Tedesco, Rikardo Xhemalaj, Pier Andrea Rizzo, Giovanni Frisullo, Eleonora Rollo, Maria Grazia Bocci, Edoardo Piervincenzi, Giacomo Della Marca, Riccardo Maviglia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Physiological Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70271
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author Irene Scala
Jessica Marotta
Valerio Brunetti
Filippo Del Tedesco
Rikardo Xhemalaj
Pier Andrea Rizzo
Giovanni Frisullo
Eleonora Rollo
Maria Grazia Bocci
Edoardo Piervincenzi
Giacomo Della Marca
Riccardo Maviglia
author_facet Irene Scala
Jessica Marotta
Valerio Brunetti
Filippo Del Tedesco
Rikardo Xhemalaj
Pier Andrea Rizzo
Giovanni Frisullo
Eleonora Rollo
Maria Grazia Bocci
Edoardo Piervincenzi
Giacomo Della Marca
Riccardo Maviglia
author_sort Irene Scala
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Binaural beats (BB) are a non‐acoustic perception generated when two pure tones with a slight mismatch in frequency are presented separately to each ear. The aims of our study were to analyze the ability of 6‐Hz BB in entraining cortical activity, altering cortical connectivity, and influencing Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) functioning to evaluate, in future studies, their application in improving compliance with Non‐Invasive Ventilation (NIV) in critically ill patients. Twenty healthy volunteers underwent four 10‐min experimental auditory conditions while their electroencephalographic and polygraphic activities were recorded: Resting‐state, 6‐Hz BB, 6‐Hz monaural beats (MB), and random noise (RN). Frequency analysis and analysis of lagged‐phase connectivity were computed through eLORETA. Heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and pulse transit time were analyzed as indicators of ANS activity. 6‐Hpz BB entrained cortical activity at the beat frequency in the left cuneus and precuneus, in contrast with other experimental conditions. All auditory stimuli increased the interhemispheric lagged‐phase connectivity between auditory cortices. Contrary to MB and RN, BB induced only minimal changes in ANS parameters. 6‐Hz BB is effective in entraining cortical activity and induces only minimal changes in ANS parameters. These findings support the future use of BB as tools for increasing NIV compliance.
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spelling doaj-art-604667aa9a1b4530abf84dca798bcd482025-08-20T04:27:55ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-05-011310n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70271Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory studyIrene Scala0Jessica Marotta1Valerio Brunetti2Filippo Del Tedesco3Rikardo Xhemalaj4Pier Andrea Rizzo5Giovanni Frisullo6Eleonora Rollo7Maria Grazia Bocci8Edoardo Piervincenzi9Giacomo Della Marca10Riccardo Maviglia11Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyDipartimento di Scienze dell'emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Della Rianimazione Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyDipartimento di Neuroscienze, Organi di Senso e Torace Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyIstituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive L. Spallanzani INMI RICCS Rome ItalyDipartimento di Scienze dell'emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Della Rianimazione Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS Rome ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome ItalyDipartimento di Scienze dell'emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Della Rianimazione Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS Rome ItalyAbstract Binaural beats (BB) are a non‐acoustic perception generated when two pure tones with a slight mismatch in frequency are presented separately to each ear. The aims of our study were to analyze the ability of 6‐Hz BB in entraining cortical activity, altering cortical connectivity, and influencing Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) functioning to evaluate, in future studies, their application in improving compliance with Non‐Invasive Ventilation (NIV) in critically ill patients. Twenty healthy volunteers underwent four 10‐min experimental auditory conditions while their electroencephalographic and polygraphic activities were recorded: Resting‐state, 6‐Hz BB, 6‐Hz monaural beats (MB), and random noise (RN). Frequency analysis and analysis of lagged‐phase connectivity were computed through eLORETA. Heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and pulse transit time were analyzed as indicators of ANS activity. 6‐Hpz BB entrained cortical activity at the beat frequency in the left cuneus and precuneus, in contrast with other experimental conditions. All auditory stimuli increased the interhemispheric lagged‐phase connectivity between auditory cortices. Contrary to MB and RN, BB induced only minimal changes in ANS parameters. 6‐Hz BB is effective in entraining cortical activity and induces only minimal changes in ANS parameters. These findings support the future use of BB as tools for increasing NIV compliance.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70271autonomic nervous systembinaural beatseLORETAlagged‐phase connectivitytheta frequency
spellingShingle Irene Scala
Jessica Marotta
Valerio Brunetti
Filippo Del Tedesco
Rikardo Xhemalaj
Pier Andrea Rizzo
Giovanni Frisullo
Eleonora Rollo
Maria Grazia Bocci
Edoardo Piervincenzi
Giacomo Della Marca
Riccardo Maviglia
Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
Physiological Reports
autonomic nervous system
binaural beats
eLORETA
lagged‐phase connectivity
theta frequency
title Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
title_full Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
title_fullStr Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
title_short Analysis of the effect of 6‐Hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals: An exploratory study
title_sort analysis of the effect of 6 hz binaural beats on electroencephalographic and autonomic parameters of healthy individuals an exploratory study
topic autonomic nervous system
binaural beats
eLORETA
lagged‐phase connectivity
theta frequency
url https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70271
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