The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness
In electronic music events, the driving four-on-the-floor music appears pivotal for inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs). While various physiological mechanisms link repetitive auditory stimuli to ASCs, entrainment—a brainwave synchronization through periodic external stimuli—has garnered...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1574836/full |
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| author | Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Samantha López-Mochales Samantha López-Mochales Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Carles Escera Carles Escera Carles Escera |
| author_facet | Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Samantha López-Mochales Samantha López-Mochales Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Carles Escera Carles Escera Carles Escera |
| author_sort | Raquel Aparicio-Terrés |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In electronic music events, the driving four-on-the-floor music appears pivotal for inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs). While various physiological mechanisms link repetitive auditory stimuli to ASCs, entrainment—a brainwave synchronization through periodic external stimuli—has garnered primary focus. However, there are no studies systematically exploring the relationship between entrainment and ASCs. In the present study, we depart from the finding that entrainment to auditory stimuli peaks for stimulation rates around 2 Hz compared to others. Nineteen participants listened to six one-minute electronic music excerpts at different tempos (1.65 Hz, 2.25 Hz, and 2.85 Hz). For each excerpt, they performed cognitive tasks and reported phenomenological experiences related to ASCs through questionnaires. Brain activity was recorded with electroencephalography to assess whether a modulation in entrainment by the beat of electronic music affected objective and subjective proxies of ASCs. Our results revealed a tempo-driven modulation of entrainment at the group level, with entrainment being higher for stimulation rates at 1.65 Hz compared to 2.85 Hz. Similarly, music at 1.65 Hz aroused more feelings of unity compared to music at 2.85 Hz. However, at the individual level, no significant relationship was found between entrainment magnitude and phenomenological experience. Instead, a positive relationship was observed between entrainment and participants’ reaction time. The results suggest that brainwave entrainment modulate processes relevant to rhythm-induced ASCs. While we cannot determine whether participants entered an ASC due to design constraints, the observed relationship between entrainment and reaction time at the individual level supports its functional significance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99ae24d7dc1345bd8a33c867a896f8ae |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-99ae24d7dc1345bd8a33c867a896f8ae2025-08-20T03:06:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612025-04-011910.3389/fnhum.2025.15748361574836The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousnessRaquel Aparicio-Terrés0Raquel Aparicio-Terrés1Samantha López-Mochales2Samantha López-Mochales3Margarita Díaz-Andreu4Margarita Díaz-Andreu5Margarita Díaz-Andreu6Carles Escera7Carles Escera8Carles Escera9Brainlab – Grup de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainInstitut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainBrainlab – Grup de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainInstitut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainDepartament d’Història i Arqueologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainInstitució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, SpainInstitut d’Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona (IAUB), Barcelona, SpainBrainlab – Grup de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva, Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainInstitut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, SpainInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Esplugues de Llobregat, SpainIn electronic music events, the driving four-on-the-floor music appears pivotal for inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs). While various physiological mechanisms link repetitive auditory stimuli to ASCs, entrainment—a brainwave synchronization through periodic external stimuli—has garnered primary focus. However, there are no studies systematically exploring the relationship between entrainment and ASCs. In the present study, we depart from the finding that entrainment to auditory stimuli peaks for stimulation rates around 2 Hz compared to others. Nineteen participants listened to six one-minute electronic music excerpts at different tempos (1.65 Hz, 2.25 Hz, and 2.85 Hz). For each excerpt, they performed cognitive tasks and reported phenomenological experiences related to ASCs through questionnaires. Brain activity was recorded with electroencephalography to assess whether a modulation in entrainment by the beat of electronic music affected objective and subjective proxies of ASCs. Our results revealed a tempo-driven modulation of entrainment at the group level, with entrainment being higher for stimulation rates at 1.65 Hz compared to 2.85 Hz. Similarly, music at 1.65 Hz aroused more feelings of unity compared to music at 2.85 Hz. However, at the individual level, no significant relationship was found between entrainment magnitude and phenomenological experience. Instead, a positive relationship was observed between entrainment and participants’ reaction time. The results suggest that brainwave entrainment modulate processes relevant to rhythm-induced ASCs. While we cannot determine whether participants entered an ASC due to design constraints, the observed relationship between entrainment and reaction time at the individual level supports its functional significance.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1574836/fullaltered states of consciousnessentrainmentelectroencephalographyelectronic musicabsorptionfrequency-tagging |
| spellingShingle | Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Raquel Aparicio-Terrés Samantha López-Mochales Samantha López-Mochales Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Margarita Díaz-Andreu Carles Escera Carles Escera Carles Escera The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience altered states of consciousness entrainment electroencephalography electronic music absorption frequency-tagging |
| title | The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| title_full | The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| title_fullStr | The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| title_full_unstemmed | The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| title_short | The strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| title_sort | strength of neural entrainment to electronic music correlates with proxies of altered states of consciousness |
| topic | altered states of consciousness entrainment electroencephalography electronic music absorption frequency-tagging |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1574836/full |
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