Vibroacoustic Stimulation and Brain Oscillation: From Basic Research to Clinical Application

Abstract: This paper addresses the importance of steady state brain oscillation for brain connectivity and cognition. Given that a healthy brain maintains particular levels of oscillatory activity, it argues that disturbances or dysrhythmias of this oscillatory activity can be implicated in common health conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, pain, and depression. Literature is reviewed that shows that electric stimulation of the brain can contribute to regulation of neural oscillatory activity and the alleviation of related health conditions. It is then argued that specific frequencies of sound in their vibratory nature can serve as a means to brain stimulation through auditory and vibrotactile means and as such can contribute to regulation of oscillatory activity. The frequencies employed and found effective in electric stimulation are reviewed with the intent of guiding the selection of sound frequencies for vibroacoustic stimulation in the treatment of AD, PD, Pain, and depression.