Do binaural beats entrain the brain? A systematic review (Ingendoh 2023)

The evidence is inconclusive. Of 14 EEG studies, only 5 were in line with the entrainment hypothesis, 8 reported contradictory results and 1 was mixed.

A plain-language summary from binaural's reading notes, edited by Jude Mc. Last updated 10 November 2026. Not medical advice.

The question: Do binaural beats drive brain activity to oscillate at the beat frequency?

What it found

• Of 14 published EEG studies of binaural-beat stimulation, 5 were in line with the brainwave entrainment hypothesis, 8 reported contradictory results and 1 was mixed.
• The included studies were highly heterogeneous in how beats were implemented, in experimental design and in EEG parameters and analysis, which limits comparability.
• The percept has physiological constraints: carriers must be below 1000 Hz, work best near about 400 Hz, and the beat difference can be up to about 30 Hz.

Limits

• Heterogeneity across the included studies limits comparability.
• The authors conclude the field urgently needs methodological standardization before reliable conclusions about brainwave entrainment can be drawn.

Where this sits

More in the library on what happens in the brain. For the wider picture, read What are binaural beats?.

This is our plain-language reading of the paper. It is not medical advice, and one study rarely settles a question.