Influence of Binaural Beats on EEG Signal

Abstract

Binaural beats are subjective hearing sensations, which occur when one of tone signals is applied to one ear, and the other one, with a slightly different frequency is applied to the second ear. A listener then receives a resultant sound with an amplitude which changes with a frequency equal to the difference of frequency of applied signals. The aim of this thesis was to examine the influence of binaural beats on changes in the morphology of the brain bioelectrical signal. Verification of previous studies, such as stimulation of binaural beats affects the brain and can cause changes in other frequency bands. Previous studies have been conducted on individual leads and dealt with the occurrence of follow up effect. In the research there were used binaural beats with a frequency of f = 10 Hz. The left ear was exposed to a signal with a frequency of 100 Hz, and the right ear-to a signal with a frequency of 110 Hz, the acoustic pressure level SPL = 73 dB. The research was conducted on a sample group of 20 people. The analysis of average amplitudes of spectral density function of EEG strength signal proved that the exposition of binaural beats brought about a follow-up effect, which means that a component frequency in the EEG signal morphology was observed which corresponds with a frequency of the exposed binaural beats. It was also noted that during the exposition of binaural beats, there occurs a statistically significant decrease of average amplitudes of spectral density function of EEG strength signal for alpha and beta frequency ranges. However, it was observed that the amplitude of spectral density function of the strength has increased in theta frequency range.

Full text

Vol. 119 (2011) ACTA PHYSICA POLONICA A 6-A
Acoustic and Biomedical Engineering
Influence of Binaural Beats on EEG Signal
C. Kasprzak∗
Department of Mechanics and Vibroacoustics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics
University of Science and Technology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Binaural beats are subjective hearing sensations, which occur when one of tone signals is applied to one ear,
and the other one, with a slightly different frequency is applied to the second ear. A listener then receives a
resultant sound with an amplitude which changes with a frequency equal to the difference of frequency of applied
signals. The aim of this thesis was to examine the influence of binaural beats on changes in the morphology of the
brain bioelectrical signal. Verification of previous studies, such as stimulation of binaural beats affects the brain
and can cause changes in other frequency bands. Previous studies have been conducted on individual leads and
dealt with the occurrence of follow up effect. In the research there were used binaural beats with a frequency of
f= 10 Hz. The left ear was exposed to a signal with a frequency of 100 Hz, and the right ear — to a signal with
a frequency of 110 Hz, the acoustic pressure level SPL = 73 dB. The research was conducted on a sample group
of 20 people. The analysis of average amplitudes of spectral density function of EEG strength signal proved that
the exposition of binaural beats brought about a follow-up effect, which means that a component frequency in the
EEG signal morphology was observed which corresponds with a frequency of the exposed binaural beats. It was
also noted that during the exposition of binaural beats, there occurs a statistically significant decrease of average
amplitudes of spectral density function of EEG strength signal for alpha and beta frequency ranges. However, it
was observed that the amplitude of spectral density function of the strength has increased in theta frequency range.
PACS: 87.50.Y−
1. Introduction
Binaural beats are subjective hearing sensations, which
occur as a result of receiving two slightly different sounds
with low frequency. They were discovered in 1839 by a
German experimentator H.W. Dove. The ability of a
human to hear binaural beats seems to be a result of
evolutionary assimilation. Many advanced species can
detect binaural beats, depending on a skull size.
Binaural beats are a result of superposition of neuron
discharge coming from the left and right ear on a suit-
able level of the hearing route. Binaural beats prove that
neuron discharge in the auditory nerve maintain the in-
formation about the phase of a received signal. Due to
the fact that such discharges, in accordance with synchro-
nization phenomena, appear for a specified signal phase,
the result of this superposition depends on a phase dif-
ference occurring between the presented signal, which is
a mapping of the binaural difference of their frequency
[1–3].
The effect of hearing of sound binaural beats oc-
curs only when we listen to two tonal (sinusoid-like)
sounds with almost identical frequencies; yet each of
these sounds is heard by one ear only thanks to the use
of headphones or stereo speakers. A nerve hearing route
in the brain guarantees the exchange of auditory infor-
∗e-mail: cekasp@agh.edu.pl
mation between the two sides, before the sound reaches
the cortical cortex, ensuring its conscious hearing. Such
an exchange happens in at least two places of the audi-
tory route — in the olivary body — in auditory centers
which process sounds and which receive stimulation di-
rectly from the cochlea nucleus and transfer it (each of
them to both sides) to colliculus inferior — small nuclei,
which constitute the next element of the auditory route,
and then through a commissure of the colliculus inferior.
Two signals are connected in the brain, the result being
a sensation of hearing a third signal — with a frequency
of a signal provided to the left and the right ear–called
binaural beats [4, 5].
Listening to binaural beats provides information to the
reticular system. This system is also called a diffuse acti-
vating system, which is a big brain area resembling a net.
It decides about lucidity, concentration and conscious-
ness. If internal stimuli (feelings, demeanors or beliefs)
or external (sensory ones) are not in conflict with this
information, then the reticular system changes the brain
wave activity so that it is adjusted to the stimulation of
the beat signals. It is a natural function of homeostasis.
The brain automatically and actively regulates all body
functions so that homeostasis is maintained, which is a
kind of an inner balance. Trying to maintain homeosta-
sis in a natural way, the reticular system monitors and
extorts maintaining sustainable states of cortical cortex
of wave activity all the time (unless new piece of infor-
mation which should be reacted to is delivered — either
(986)

Influence of Binaural Beats on EEG Signal 987
from external sources or from sensory senses). Thanks
to the fact that the frequency characteristics of the audi-
tory field are similar to the characteristics of brain waves,
the reticular system initiates processing by the cortical
cortex the information carried by these signals, believing
that the information carried by binaural beats come from
the actual brain wave activity. With time, the reticular
system monitors the internal and external environment
as well as the psychophysical state in order to determine
whether there is a need for adjusting to new conditions.
Unless there are conflicts, the reticular system continues
adjusting the character, quality and features of the con-
sciousness state to the information carried by the signals
of binaural beats [6, 7].
Owens and Atwater examined EEG patterns associ-
ated with listening to a series of low-frequency binaural
beats and investigated some of the subjective experiences
accompanying such stimulation. In this study, subjects
listened through stereo headphones to pure tones de-
signed to produce delta and theta binaural beats. Anal-
ysis of the EEG data involved computing the changes in
the percentages of total EEG amplitudes, comparing the
conditions of waking rest, binaural-beat stimulus periods,
and a second period of rest. Results showed that during
the stimulus periods subjects generated significantly less
alpha- (p < 0.01 to p < 0.0001) and beta- (p < 0.04 to
p < 0.002) frequency brain waves and significantly more
delta- (p < 0.002 to p < 0.0009) and theta- (p < 0.01
to p < 0.0001) frequency brain waves. This investigation
suggested that binaural beats may be associated with
reduced EEG arousal. Results of the two other studies
showed that during the binaural-beat stimuli, reductions
in the percentages of occipital alpha (bipolar O1–O2)
were significant (individually, p < 0.05, and together,
p < 0.001) during five of six free-running EEG recording
periods compared to baselines. During the same record-
ing periods, reductions in the percentages of central delta
(bipolar C3–C4) were similarly significant during four of
six periods compared to baselines [8–10].
2. Methodology of research
The experiment was conducted on a sample of 20
males. The examined individuals were volunteers, who
declared that they had no any medical conditions and
not under the influence of medicines. They had been
also informed that before the experiment, they were not
allowed to drink any stimulating nor intoxicating drinks.
In the research, there were used binaural beats with
an acoustic pressure level of SPL = 73 dB, with the fol-
lowing frequencies: the right ear — 110 Hz, the left ear
— 100 Hz. The total duration of the experiment was
35 min. The exposition of the stimulus was 20 min. The
acoustic signal, recorded in a wave format, was played
from a computer onto stereo headphones.
The EEG test was about a registration (with a help
of electrodes placed on the skin of a head) of functional
currents of a human brain, whose characteristic feature
is small tension (from several to several hundred mi-
crovolts). The frequency of these currents ranges from
0.5 Hz to 50 Hz. The registration of EEG signal was
conducted with a help of 25-channel sound box of SAM
25 type of MICROMED company.
EEG cap was fitted in accordance with a standard
10/20 system, where electrodes are placed along the
sagittal line of the head (5 on the left side: Fp1, F3,
C3, P3, O1 and 5 on the right side: Fp2, F4, C4, P4, O2
and a reference electrode on the OP, Pz).
The examined individuals were informed about the
general target of the research, rules of the experiment
and signed a permission form confirming their con-
scious agreement for the experiment. Later, after having
cleaned the skin, measurement electrodes of EEG sig-
nals were fitted. After checking the effective resistance
(proper applying of the electrodes), a tested person was
comfortably seated on a testing site.
After conducting preparation activities, a proper ex-
periment took place; that is 35 min of constant acquisi-
tion of EEG human bioelectric signals. The initial 5 min
was without the binaural beats exposition, 20 min with
the signal exposition and 10 min — without the exposi-
tion.
3. Result analysis
The obtained EEG runs were checked regarding the
correctness of recording. Two people, due to high dis-
turbances in all the recording were ruled out from EEG
analysis. Moreover, there were errors and artifacts noted
on some channels for 7 people. The data from these chan-
nels were not analyzed.
Fig. 1. A follow-up effect.
Basing on the analysis of a spectral density function of
EEG strength signal, for 4 people a follow-up effect was
observed; i.e. there occurred a component in EEG signal
morphology, with a frequency of the presented binaural
beats (10 Hz), Fig. 1.
The changeability of an average amplitude of spectral
density function of EEG strength signal in a frequency
range from 9.9 to 10.1 Hz (single channel, C4) was pre-
sented in Fig. 2. The plots indicated subsequent stages of

988 C. Kasprzak
the study and averages amplitude of the spectral density
function of EEG signal in a selected frequency range.
Fig. 2. A diagram of an average amplitude of a spec-
tral density function of EEG strength signal changes in
a frequency range from 9.9 to 10.1 Hz.
The above figure confirms the occurrence of the follow-
-up effect at a previously selected person. The con-
ducted quality analysis (the diagrams of a spectral den-
sity function of EEG strength signal changes) were com-
pleted with quantity analysis of a spectral density func-
tion of EEG strength signal changes in selected frequency
ranges. In order to achieve this, there was assumed
an EEG signal frequency division used in the electro-
encephalography:
•beta — from 12.0 to 29.9 Hz,
•alpha — from 8.0 to 11.9 Hz,
•theta — from 4.0 to 7.9 Hz,
•delta — from 0.5 to 3.9 Hz.
Using ANOVA test, the statistical significance of dif-
ferences of an average amplitude of a spectral density
function between three consecutive stages of the research
is obtained. In Table I there is placed a level of the sta-
tistical significance of differences of an average amplitude
of a spectral density function in the adopted frequency
ranges. In the first column, there are placed analyzed
frequency ranges. The following columns correspond to
individual measurement EEG channel (from Fp1 to O2).
TABLE I
Statistical significance of differences between consecutive stages of the research
for 10 channels in adopted frequency ranges.
The analyzed
frequency ranges
Statistical significance p
Fp1 F3 C3 P3 O1 Fp2 F4 C4 P4 O2
delta 0.8295 0.1744 0.1212 0.3469 0.1215 0.0018∗0.5168 0.8197 0.1200 0.6795
theta 0.0328∗0.0052∗0.1196 0.0006∗0.0010∗0.0000∗0.6406 0.0223∗0.0000∗0.2805
alpha 0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0001∗0.0000∗
beta 0.0009∗0.0000∗0.0064∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0000∗0.0161∗0.0000∗0.2595
The values with star show changes which are statistically significant.
Figures 3, 4, 5 are present changes of average ampli-
tudes of spectral density functions for adopted frequency
ranges: theta, alpha and beta (for single channel).
The above figures show an increase of average ampli-
tudes of a spectral density function of EEG strength sig-
nal for theta frequency range during the exposition of
binaural beats and a falling tendency during stage 3. In
three cases, these changes turned out to be statistically
insignificant.
The changes of the average amplitude of a spectral
density function of EEG strength signal in three stages
of the experiment for alpha frequency range are presented
in Figs. 4–7.
In the figures, it can be observed that changes of
average amplitudes of a spectral density function of
EEG strength signal for alpha frequency range have a
falling tendency during the exposition of binaural beats
(stage 2), whereas stage 3, when compared to stage 2,
generates a slight increase. The changes of these values
are statistically significant. In the above figures, one can
notice that the changes of average amplitudes of a spec-
tral density function of EEG strength signal for alpha
frequency range have a falling tendency during the expo-
sition of binaural beats (stage 2), whereas stage 3, when
compared to stage 2, generates a slight increase.
The changes of average amplitudes of a spectral den-
sity function of EEG strength signal in three stages of
the experiment for beta frequency range are presented in
Fig. 5.
In the next stage, all 10 channels (Fp1, F3, C3, P3, O1,
Fp2, F4, C4, P4, O2) for the adopted frequency ranges
were averaged. In Table II there is presented the sta-
tistical significance of changes of average amplitudes of
a strength function of spectral density for the analyzed
variables in consecutive stages of the experiment.

Influence of Binaural Beats on EEG Signal 989
Fig. 3. Analysis of changes of an average amplitude
of a spectral density function of EEG strength signal
in 3 consecutive stages of the experiment, for theta fre-
quency range (channel P3).
Fig. 4. Analysis of changes of an average amplitude
of a spectral density function of EEG strength signal
in 3 consecutive stages of the experiment, for alpha fre-
quency range (channel O1).
TABLE II
Statistical significance of the average value changes
from 10 channels, between consecutive stages of the
research for individual frequency ranges.
The analyzed
frequency ranges
Statistical
significance p
delta 0.4
theta 0.0231∗
alpha 0.0000∗
beta 0.0000∗
The values with star show changes which are
statistically significant.
In Figs. 4–7 there are presented changes of average
amplitudes of a spectral density function for the analyzed
variables (an average value delta, an average value theta,
an average value alpha, an average value beta) in three
consecutive stages of the experiment.
Figure 6 proves that an average amplitude of a strength
function of spectral density for an average value delta in-
creases during the exposition of binaural beats (stage 2),
Fig. 5. Analysis of changes of an average amplitude of
a spectral density function of EEG strength signal in 3
consecutive stages of the experiment, for beta frequency
range (channel O2).
Fig. 6. Analyses of changes of average amplitudes of
a spectral density function of EEG strength signal for
average values delta and theta (average value from 10
channels).
however there is a decrease of it in stage 3. Nevertheless,
these changes are statistically insignificant. For an aver-
age value theta, a similar tendency can be observed, with
the difference however, that it is statistically significant.
In both cases of alpha and beta average values, one can
observe a decrease of an average amplitude of a strength
Fig. 7. Analyses of changes of average amplitudes of
a spectral density function of EEG strength signal for
average values alpha and beta (average value from 10
channels).

990 C. Kasprzak
function of spectral density during binaural beats exposi-
tion (stage 2) and its increase in stage 3 (when compared
to stage 2). These changes are statistically significant.
The analyses of changes of average amplitudes of a
spectral density function of EEG strength signal proved
that the binaural beats exposition brought about a
follow-up effect at 4 experiment participants, meaning
that there was observed a frequency component in EEG
signal morphology, with a frequency corresponding to the
presented binaural beats. It was also noted that during
binaural beats exposition, there occurs a statistically sig-
nificant fall of average amplitudes of a spectral density
function of EEG strength signal for alpha and beta fre-
quency ranges. However, for theta frequency range, one
can observe an increase of average amplitudes of a spec-
tral density function of EEG strength signal. In case of
delta frequency ranges, there were no statistically signif-
icant changes.
4. Conclusions
This study reported and compiled provide statistical
observations in support of the notion that binaural beats
appear to engender changes in cortical arousal, which
can be monitored with the EEG. The results obtained
on the basis of the conducted experiment of the influence
of binaural beats with f= 10 Hz frequency and with an
acoustic level at SPL = 73 dB on a human confirm that
binaural beats exposition cause statistically significant
changes of EEG signal (morphology).
Binaural beats exposition brought about a follow-up
effect (in qualitative analysis) in four experiment par-
ticipants, meaning that there was observed a frequency
component in EEG signal morphology, with a frequency
corresponding to the presented binaural beats.
It was also noted that during the binaural beats exposi-
tion, there occurs a statistically significant fall of average
amplitudes of a spectral density function of EEG strength
signal for alpha (p < 0.001) and beta (p < 0.001) fre-
quency ranges. For theta (p < 0.0231) frequency range,
however, there was noted an increase of a spectral den-
sity function of EEG strength signal. In case of delta
frequency range, there were no statistically significant
changes noted.
The study showed a statistically significant reduction
of alpha rhythm (8–12 Hz) while increasing narrow band
share in the range 9.9–10.1 Hz. The reasons may be as
follows: blocking of alpha rhythm with simultaneous oc-
currence of the phenomenon of follow up effect. This
may be due to the orienting reflex nervous system, i.e. a
response to the acoustic stimulus and tuning to optimize
the nervous system receiveing information from the en-
vironment, which manifests itself, inter alia, by blocking
the alpha rhythm. However, observed increase in ampli-
tude for a frequency corresponding to the binaural beat
frequency f= 10 Hz based on the assumption that the
human brain has a tendency to change its dominant EEG
frequency towards the frequency of a dominant external
stimulus.
Acknowledgments
This study is a part of the N N501 247740 research
project, supported by the National Science Centre.
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