ROWAN PARKINSON
Age 14 | Ottawa, ON
YSC 2020 Digital Technology Award | Broadcom MASTERS International 2021 Delegate
Edited by Greg Brooks
INTRODUCTION
The brain contains billions of neurons that communicate with each other through small electrical currents. These currents move along neurons and travel throughout the entire brain (A Deep Dive Into Brainwaves: Brainwave Frequencies Explained, 2018). When masses of neurons are simultaneously activated, they create synchronized electric pulses which results in a brainwave or a neural oscillation. These oscillations, which each occur at specific frequencies, are measured in Hertz (Hz).
The five main types of brainwaves – each associated with their own state of mind/thought are (A Deep Dive Into Brainwaves: Brainwave Frequencies Explained, 2018):
Delta waves (0.5-4 Hz): dormancy and dreams.
Theta waves (4-8 Hz): daydreams, creativity, and reflection/memory.
Alpha waves (8-13 Hz): physical and mental relaxation.
Beta waves (13-32 Hz): routine thinking, concentration, excitement, or anxiety.
Gamma waves (32-100 Hz): heightened perception, working memory, learning, and problem-solving tasks.
An EEG (electroencephalogram) is a medical monitor that records brainwave patterns and can be used to evaluate the electrical activity in the brain (Blocka, 2018). For research purposes, an EEG can be used to evaluate brainwave patterns in response to external stimulation.
Brainwave entrainment (also known as brainwave synchronization or neural entrainment) refers to the ability of the brain to synchronize its brainwave frequencies with the rhythm of external stimuli, most commonly auditory, visual, or tactile (Berg & Will, 2007). It is thought that patterns of neural firing (measured in Hz) correspond with different states of alertness (focused attention, deep sleep, etc.). It is believed that listening to beats of certain frequencies can elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat (What Is Brainwave Entrainment?, n.d.). For example, listening to 20 Hz beats would encourage the brainwaves to align to the beta frequency range and, in turn, induce a greater state of concentration.
A binaural beat is the perception of a frequency difference between the sound waves entering the left and right ear (Smith, 2019). For example, if the left ear registers a tone of 25 Hz and the right ear registers a tone of 45 Hz, the binaural beat is 20 Hz - the difference between the two frequencies. Several studies suggest that listening to binaural beats for a recommended period can affect a person's mood and sleep cycles (Breus, 2018). Studies have been contradictory, however, as to whether binaural beat stimulation can measurably affect concentration.
Hypothesis
Binaural beat brainwave entrainment will result in higher memory test scores secondary to improved concentration. This is because listening to beta binaural beats will elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response and encourage the brainwaves to align to the beat. This will then promote states of mind associated with beta waves, such as concentration, which will allow for better performance in a memory test.
MATERIALS & METHODS
Participants
In this experiment, 25 subjects were tested. They ranged from 12 to 14 years old.
Procedure
In a quiet location, the Muse headset, a portable EEG device, was fitted to the subject’s head, ensuring all sensors had a strong connection. It was then paired with the Mind Monitor app to record the subject’s brainwave activity and track the ‘concentration index’ (internally calculated by the app) while they played a 48-tile memory game. The experiment was conducted in 3 stages:
Pre-Entrainment: the subject sat in silence for 3 minutes, then played a randomized 48-tile memory game for 2 minutes (Figure 1). Their final score was recorded. 30 seconds of pink noise was played as a divider sound.
Entrainment: the subject listened to 20 Hz binaural beats for 3 minutes, focusing on the tone (Figure 2).
Post-Entrainment: the subject played a new 48-tile memory game for 2 minutes. Their final score was recorded.
Finally, the game results, pre- and post-entrainment, were compared, while the raw data recorded by the Mind Monitor app was analyzed using Microsoft Excel to obtain the relative power spectral densities of each brainwave type.
Figure 1 (left): Subject playing the memory game during the pre-entrainment phase.
Figure 2 (right): Subject listening to binaural beats during the entrainment phrase.
RESULTS
Figure 3: A comparative summary of game results across 25 subjects
Figure 4: A comparative summary of concentration indices (%) across 25 subjects
Table 1: A comparison of the relative power spectral densities from pre- to post-entrainment
Figure 3 presents the memory game results based on the number of tiles solved. Calculations showed that, overall, there was an average increase of 14.10% in the game results. Additionally, the 84% of subjects who showed an improvement increased their results by an average of 24.32%.
Figure 4 gives a summary of the concentration indices while playing pre- and post-entrainment, as calculated by the Mind Monitor app. Overall, there was an average increase of 13.55% in the concentration index. Furthermore, the 80% of subjects who improved increased their concentration index by an average of 36.11%.
The values in Table 1 depict the relative percentage of each brainwave type, with higher values representing greater activity in the given frequency range. Therefore, when observing the evolution of the brainwave patterns during the three phases of the study, Table 1 shows:
Pre-Entrainment: The predominant wave frequency observed while playing the first memory game was alpha. Alpha waves are associated with physical and mental relaxation. Having commenced the game after three minutes of sitting in silence, this “relaxed” state was not unexpected.
Entrainment: During the 20 Hz binaural beat exposure, there was a 22.84% increase in beta activity. This is in keeping with the idea of beta (20 Hz) binaural beat entrainment.
Post-Entrainment: There was a 12.24% increase in gamma activity and a 15.84% increase in theta activity immediately after binaural beat exposure. Gamma waves are associated with heightened perception, learning and problem-solving while theta waves are associated with learned memory (A Deep Dive Into Brainwaves: Brainwave Frequencies Explained, 2018).
DISCUSSION
It can be reasoned from the results that the beta binaural beat brainwave entrainment led to a state of concentration (associated with increased beta activity), which then allowed for the second game to be played at a heightened level of perception and learning (associated with increased gamma activity), while also drawing upon recent memory (associated with increased theta and gamma activity).
The independent increases in the concentration indices, in addition to the progression of brainwave patterns from a state of relaxation to a state of concentration to a state of heightened perception and problem-solving, imply that the overall improvement in memory test scores was directly related to successful brainwave entrainment.
Future Steps
There are several ways in which this study could be further developed. For instance, evaluating how binaural beat exposure time influences brainwave entrainment and concentration would help determine if longer exposure could result in higher concentration. Additionally, evaluating the effects of exposure to binaural beats at different frequency ranges might uncover further benefits those frequencies may offer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the hypothesis was supported by the data. Binaural beat brainwave entrainment can indeed result in higher memory test scores secondary to improved concentration.
REFERENCES
A Deep Dive Into Brainwaves: Brainwave Frequencies Explained. (2018, June 25). Muse. https://choosemuse.com/blog/a-deep-dive-into-brainwaves-brainwave-frequencies-explained
Berg, E., & Will, U. (2007). Brain wave synchronization and entrainment to periodic acoustic stimuli. Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304394007007938?via%3Dihb
Blocka, K. (2018, Sept. 28). EEG (Electroencephalogram). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/eeg
Breus, M. J. (2018, Oct. 11). How Can Binaural Beats Help You Sleep Better? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/sleep-newzzz/201810/how-can-binaural-beats-help-you-sleep-better
Clutterbuck, J. (2014). Mind Monitor FAQs. Mind Monitor. https://mind-monitor.com/
Escera, C., & López-Caballero, F. (2017, Nov. 15). Binaural Beat: A Failure to Enhance EEG Power and Emotional Arousal. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5694826/
Smith, L. (2019, Sept. 30). What are binaural beats, and how do they work? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320019
What is Brainwave Entrainment? (n.d.). Brainworks Neurotherapy. https://brainworksneurotherapy.com/what-brainwave-entrainment
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rowan Parkinson
Rowan is a grade 9 student at Elmwood School in Ottawa, Ontario. From a young age, she has been interested in science and math, participating in various workshops, contests and fairs over the years. She is fascinated by the connections between the arts and the sciences, and often uses this interest to inspire her projects. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing guitar, and listening to music.