Bello, Nicholas P

English

Georgia State University

Altering working memory performance through cortical entrainment: An ERP study of binaural 
beat stimulation during a two-back memory task 
 
Authors: Nicholas Bello, Ben Rickles, Junaid Amin, & Gwen Frishkoff 
 
GSURC 2015 abstract:  
 
Brain rhythms, such as beta (~12-20 Hz) or theta (~4-7 Hz) have been linked to specific mental 
processes, such as attention and memory encoding. This study examined whether or not inducing 
these brain rhythms in individuals engaged in a task would increase aforementioned cognitive 
performance. Presentation of binaural auditory beats (BAB) can increase, or entrain cortical 
activity to specific frequencies.  In a pilot study using BAB, we found that stimulation in the beta 
range effected task-related changes in beta wave activity, whereas stimulation in the theta range 
led to increased theta-wave activity. In a follow up using the 2-back memory task, effects were 
seen involving attention-related event-related potentials (ERPs) in one BAB condition but not the 
other, indicating a possible effect on attention processes. In the same BAB condition, it was seen 
that reaction time had decreased as a function of baseline working-memory ability as measured 
by the reading span task. The present study extends the prior works using a larger dataset to 
examine BAB effects on working memory performance, as well as more robust ERP and wavelet 
analysis. We recorded brainwaves while participants viewed a series of letters and were asked to 
press a button when the letter on screen was the same as a letter that appeared two trials back. 
Each subject completed two sessions (one with beta manipulation, one with theta) using a 
double-blind design. Control (no BAB) blocks were presented before and after the experimental 
blocks in each session. Behavioral and ERP measures of target detection and suppression of 
"lures" (1-back trials) were examined across conditions.  In addition, we used joint time-
frequency (wavelet) analysis to characterize BAB effects on beta and theta bands prior to the 
behavioral response.  
 
 
Keywords: cognition, attention, binaural beats, EEG, entrainment, working memory, 
performance 


Altering working memory performance through cortical entrainment: An ERP study of binaural beat stimulation during a two-back memory task

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

Altering working memory performance through cortical entrainment: An ERP study of binaural beat stimulation during a two-back memory task  Authors: Nicholas Bello, Ben Rickles, Junaid Amin, & Gwen Frishkoff  GSURC 2015 abstract:   Brain rhythms, such as beta (~12-20 Hz) or theta (~4-7 Hz) have been linked to specific mental processes, such as attention and memory encoding. This study examined whether or not inducing these brain rhythms in individuals engaged in a task would increase aforementioned cognitive performance. Presentation of binaural auditory beats (BAB) can increase, or entrain cortical activity to specific frequencies.  In a pilot study using BAB, we found that stimulation in the beta range effected task-related changes in beta wave activity, whereas stimulation in the theta range led to increased theta-wave activity. In a follow up using the 2-back memory task, effects were seen involving attention-related event-related potentials (ERPs) in one BAB condition but not the other, indicating a possible effect on attention processes. In the same BAB condition, it was seen that reaction time had decreased as a function of baseline working-memory ability as measured by the reading span task. The present study extends the prior works using a larger dataset to examine BAB effects on working memory performance, as well as more robust ERP and wavelet analysis. We recorded brainwaves while participants viewed a series of letters and were asked to press a button when the letter on screen was the same as a letter that appeared two trials back. Each subject completed two sessions (one with beta manipulation, one with theta) using a double-blind design. Control (no BAB) blocks were presented before and after the experimental blocks in each session. Behavioral and ERP measures of target detection and suppression of "lures" (1-back trials) were examined across conditions.  In addition, we used joint time-frequency (wavelet) analysis to characterize BAB effects on beta and theta bands prior to the behavioral response.    Keywords: cognition, attention, binaural beats, EEG, entrainment, working memory, performance 

https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1431&amp;context=gsurc

Altering working memory performance through cortical entrainment: An ERP study of binaural beat stimulation during a two-back memory task

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