Audio-visual entrainment in psychological disorders (Pino 2022)
Results were mixed: depression scores decreased (p = .022) and Performance IQ rose (p = .016), but state and trait anxiety significantly increased in the audio-visual entrainment group. The trial had only 15 participants.
The question: Does a course of audio-visual entrainment improve depression, anxiety and cognition compared with psychoeducation?
| Type of study | Randomized trial |
|---|---|
| Who took part | 15 participants (screened from 46) |
| What was done | 55 sessions of audio-visual entrainment (AVE) over 11 weeks, compared with an active control (psychoeducation). Depression, anxiety and cognitive measures were taken before and after. |
| How much weight it carries | Preliminary |
What it found
- Depression (HAM-D) decreased (p = .022).
- Performance IQ rose (p = .016; between-group p = .004).
- State and trait anxiety significantly increased in the audio-visual entrainment group.
- The trial was independent, with no industry funding and no declared conflicts.
Limits
- Very small sample (n = 15), single-channel consumer EEG and no follow-up.
- It is unclear whether the rise in anxiety came from the flicker itself, the burden of the 11-week protocol, or noise from so small a sample.
- A properly powered replication is needed.
Where this sits
More in the library on light, flicker and 40 hz. For the wider picture, read 40 Hz, gamma and the brain.
This is our plain-language reading of the paper. It is not medical advice, and one study rarely settles a question.
Sources
- Pino, O. (2022). A randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore the effect of audio-visual entrainment among psychological disorders. Acta Biomedica, 92(6), e2021408. doi.org/10.23750/abm.v92i6.12089