A randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore the effect of audio-visual entrainment among psychological disorders.

BACKGROUND AND

aimAlthough many mental disorders have relevant proud in neurobiological dysfunctions, most intervention approaches neglect neurophysiological features or use pharmacological intervention alone. Non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), providing natural ways of modulating mood states, can be promoted as an alternative intervention to cope with neurobiological dysfunction.

methodsA BCI prototype was proposed to feedback a person's affective state such that a closed-loop interaction between the participant's brain responses and the musical stimuli is established. It feedbacks in real-time flickering lights matching with the individual's brain rhythms undergo to auditory stimuli. A RCT was carried out on 15 individuals of both genders (mean age = 49.27 years) with anxiety and depressive spectrum disorders randomly assigned to 2 groups (experimental vs. active control).

resultsOutcome measures revealed either a significant decrease in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) scores and gains in cognitive functions only for participants who undergone to the experimental treatment. Variability in HAM-D scores seems explained by the changes in beta 1, beta 2 and delta bands. Conversely, the rise in cognitive function scores appear associated with theta variations.

conclusionsFuture work needs to validate the relationship proposed here between music and brain responses. Findings of the present study provided support to a range of research examining BCI brain modulation and contributes to the understanding of this technique as instruments to alternative therapies We believe that Neuro-Upper can be used as an effective new tool for investigating affective responses, and emotion regulation (www.actabiomedica.it).