Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42671585›Full record

Trial reportExperimental brain research2026

Immediate effects of binaural beat stimulation on prefrontal cortical activation after cycling exercise: an electroencephalography-based study.

Shih-Fen Hsiao, Tzu-Ling Liu, Yu-Chen Lin, Chen-Wen Yen, Ka-Chun Siu, Jau-Hong Lin

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Experimental brain research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Shih-Fen HsiaoDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tzu-Ling LiuDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yu-Chen LinDepartment of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen-Wen YenDepartment of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ka-Chun SiuDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
Jau-Hong LinDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. jhlin@kmu.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8681-8505

Funding

National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan NSTC112-2314-B-037-051-MY3National Sun Yat-Sen University and Kaohsiung Medical University Joint Project in Taiwan. NSYSU-KMU-114-P03
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Binaural beat stimulation (BBS) has been shown to activate the cerebral cortex and promote physical and mental relaxation. This study investigated the immediate effects of theta-frequency BBS following cycling exercise on prefrontal cortical activation in healthy adults. Sixty healthy adults were recruited from the community using convenient sampling. Each participant completed a 20-min cycling exercise on two consecutive days. In a randomized order, one day was followed by a 20-min wide-band theta-frequency (5.5-8.5 Hz) BBS combined with pink noise and the other day by a sham BBS intervention. An eight-channel dry-electrode electroencephalography system was used to record the changes of prefrontal cortical activation at six time points before and after the cycling exercise. A total of 52 participants completed the study. Compared to the sham stimulus, the theta-frequency BBS combined with pink noise significantly enhanced the theta and alpha wave powers. Power changes in the left and right prefrontal cortices and the frontal midline regions (r=0.28-0.51, p<0.05) across multiple time points indicated an immediate enhancement of prefrontal cortical activation. This preliminary study suggests that receiving wide-band theta-frequency BBS after20 minutes of cycling exercise may modulate prefrontal cortex activity. Given its non-invasive and simple nature, BBS warrants further exploratory research to determine its potential role as a supplementary tool in post-exercise recovery strategies.

Indexed as

Acoustic StimulationBicyclingExercisePrefrontal CortexTheta RhythmAdultElectroencephalographyFemaleHumansMaleYoung AdultBinaural beat stimulationCortical activationElectroencephalographyRelaxation

Identifiers

PMID42671585

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.