Music combined with auditory beat stimulation can reduce anxiety: Study

Mar 14, 2022

New Delhi, Mar 14 (ANI): Treatments integrating music and auditory beat stimulation are effective in reducing anxiety in some patients, a recent study suggested. The study by Adiel Mallik and Frank Russo of the Ryerson University, Canada was published in the open-access journal 'PLOS ONE'. Anxiety has been steadily increasing, particularly in the adolescent and young adult populations, over recent decades. Studies have previously shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, perhaps even more effectively than some anti-anxiety medications. However, quantitative data on the effects of personalized music on anxiety has been lacking. In the new study, the researchers randomized 163 patients taking anti-anxiety medications to participate in an at-home treatment session involving music, auditory beat stimulation, both, or pink noise--background sounds similar to white noise. The music was selected for each patient using LUCID's artificial intelligence which curates music based on the patient's emotional state and music preferences. Auditory beat stimulation involves combinations of tones, played in one or both ears, designed to trigger changes to brain activity. In all groups, patients were asked to download a customized application on their smartphone for the treatment, close their eyes, and listen to a 24-minute session.