Auditory Beat Stimulation and Its Effects on Cognition and Mood States

Overview

Journal Front Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2015 Jun 2

PMID 26029120

Citations 43

Authors

Leila Chaieb

Elke Caroline Wilpert

Thomas P Reber

Juergen Fell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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.

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