Beta Rhythms Research Articles

The Effects of Natural Window Views in Classrooms on College Students’ Mood and Learning Efficiency

Observing peaceful natural environments has been shown to restore cognitive abilities and reduce stress. As a result, visual access to natural environments is becoming increasingly common in educational settings. However, most current research on classroom window views has examined classroom environments in elementary and secondary schools, and only some university classrooms have been used as study sites. This study investigated the relationship between the naturalness of university classroom window views and physiological and emotional responses and standardized tests of attentional focus (learning efficiency) in university students. Thirty participants (undergraduates 21.16 ± 1.01 years old) viewed architectural window views and natural window views for 3 min each, and physiological measures of EEG, HRV index, and psychometric measures of Semantic Differences Questionnaire and Emotional State Questionnaire generated data. Measurements were generated. The results indicated that the natural window view significantly enhanced theta, alpha, and beta waves of brain activity, provided a sense of comfort, relaxation, and pleasure, and increased learning efficiency compared to the architectural window view. The findings support the beneficial associations between window views on university campuses and students’ mood and learning efficiency, emphasizing the importance of considering natural window views in the planning and designing of university classrooms.

The Insight Meditation Enhanced Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Reduction in Working Professionals Like Medical Representatives Determined by Using Serum Cortisol Level and Electroencephalogram: A Qualitative Study

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Indian economy and ranks among the top 15 drug-manufacturing countries globally. Among the fastest-growing industries in the world, the pharmaceutical industry has increased over the years. A pharmaceutical company appoints a medical representative to make their products easily reach healthcare specialists and then be used by the general public. The medical representatives construct a well- built network with doctors, clinical specialists, medical practitioners, paramedical experts, Dietitians and nutritionists, paediatricians, gynaecologists, psychiatrists, etc. The problem of stress is widespread in every job description, and it may affect directly or indirectly in the form of health issues and low productivity; the demands of achieving targets induced among medical representatives. Much of this credit goes to Medical Sales Representatives or Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives (also known as MR, PSR) who are solely responsible for the promotion of products among Physicians, Hospitals, and pharmacies and are accountable for sales results. They act as the face of the Pharma company contributing to a better quality of life for customers, building goodwill, and increasing the company’s market share. Pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSR) play a large role in helping an industry in a rapidly changing environment to achieve a new corporate vision and normally these medical representatives are in the highest stress position. Most pharmaceutical sales representatives experience significant job stress and unhappiness levels. Stress, depression, and anxiety are the most common psychiatric disorders all over the world. One of India's oldest meditation methods, vipassana also known as Insight meditation, helps a person become aware of things as they are. The goal of the Vipassana method, which aids in self-change via self-observation, is to finally arrive at a condition of inner and exterior peace and mental equilibrium. It is a process of "Self- exploration" to the normal base of the brain and body that removes mental smog and results in a healthier personality filled with love and empathy. Electroencephalography (EEG) is an efficient modality that helps to acquire brain signals corresponding to various states from the scalp surface area. These signals are generally categorized as delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma based on signal frequencies ranging from 0.1 Hz to more than 100 Hz. This paper primarily focuses on EEG signals and their characterization for various states of the human body. Beta wave induced the production of cortisol. Also, the beta wave is necessary for our everyday lives, such as thought, communicating, arguing, and problem-solving, during conscious mental work. This Beta wave can also lead to tension, anxiety, and restlessness as they enable us to think properly. Persistently elevated cortisol concentrations are associated with metabolic disorders. Cortisol is a vital hormone sometimes known as the stress hormone in humans, as it is involved in the body's natural response to physical or emotional stress. cortisol has effects on memory, mood, and neurological diseases. Cortisol is best known for mediating the body’s reaction to stress. This study aims to review the existing research and challenges of serum cortisol levels (cortisol is an indicator of stress) and EEG signals with the Insight meditation effect.

Osho Dynamic Meditation; Improved Stress Reduction in Farmer Determine by using Serum Cortisol and EEG (A Qualitative Study Review)

A lot of thought should go into how to revitalize agriculture, because rural demand is critical for reviving the manufacturing sector. Agriculture is also significant because it employs 52% of the population and accounts for 17% of GDP. Over the last 17 years, approximately 14 million farmers have committed suicide. Although per capita land availability has decreased, agriculture's share of employment has decreased more slowly. It means that farmer stress is increase day by day. Dynamic meditation is a popular form of active meditation that was introduced in 1970 by an Indian mystic named osho. The impact of osho dynamic meditation on cortisol levels in the serum (cortisol is a stress marker) & therefore to observe whether it has any anti-stress effect. And calculate beta wave (stress wave) calculated by using EEG and observed reduction in waves or not. After study the hole article we can conclude 1. To study the effect of dynamic meditation on mental health. 2. To Study the effect of dynamic meditation on stress by testing serum cortisol. 3. To study the stress level in farmer before dynamic meditation and after dynamic meditation. Using EEG machine and to achieve better results. 4. To promote farmers and other people to do meditation for positive energy and stress-free life.

Beta Spectral Power during Passive Listening in Preschool Children with Specific Language Impairment

Introduction: Children with specific language impairment (SLI) have difficulties in different speech and language domains. Electrophysiological studies have documented that auditory processing in children with SLI is atypical and probably caused by delayed and abnormal auditory maturation. During the resting state, or different auditory tasks, children with SLI show low or high beta spectral power, which could be a clinical correlate for investigating brain rhythms. Methods: The aim of this study was to examine the electrophysiological cortical activity of the beta rhythm while listening to words and nonwords in children with SLI in comparison to typical development (TD) children. The participants were 50 children with SLI, aged 4 and 5 years, and 50 age matched TD children. The children were divided into two subgroups according to age: (1) children 4 years of age; (2) children 5 years of age. Results: The older group differed from the younger group in beta auditory processing, with increased values of beta spectral power in the right frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. In addition, children with SLI have higher beta spectral power than TD children in the bilateral temporal regions. Conclusion: Complex beta auditory activation in TD and SLI children indicates the presence of early changes in functional brain connectivity.

Bridging cognitive neuroscience and education: Insights from EEG recording during mathematical proof evaluation

BackgroundMuch of modern mathematics education prioritizes symbolic formalism even at the expense of non-symbolic intuition, we contextualize our study in the ongoing debates on the balance between symbolic and non-symbolic reasoning. We explore the dissociation of oscillatory dynamics between algebraic (symbolic) and geometric (non-symbolic) processing in advanced mathematical reasoning during a naturalistic design. MethodEmploying mobile EEG technology, we investigated students' beta and gamma wave patterns over frontal and parietal regions while they engaged with mathematical demonstrations in symbolic and non-symbolic formats within a tutor-student framework. We used extended, naturalistic stimuli to approximate an authentic educational setting. ConclusionOur findings reveal nuanced distinctions in neural processing, particularly in terms of gamma waves and activity in parietal regions. Furthermore, no clear overall format preference emerged from the neuroscientific perspective despite students rating symbolic demonstrations higher for understanding and familiarity.

Investigation of Brain Activity While Listening to Music by Using Brain Control Interface (BCI)

There are five main types of brain waves: alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and theta, which are associated with different states of the mind1. Previous research has shown that music alters the ratio of brain waves in the brain and has significant effects on the brain and body in a clinical setting2. Bigliassi et al. (2015) study showed that calm music can lower vagal withdrawal through increased activation of the prefrontal cortex. Additionally, Nawaz et al. (2018) explained that stimulating and calm music increases the beta and alpha waves in the frontal and parietal regions of the brain, respectively. Although the effects of music on the brain are well studied, the quantification of these effects is not well documented in the current literature. Therefore, our study focuses on the quantification of these effects. We have used BCI technology, which creates a communication pathway between neural activity and external devices, such as drones or prosthetic arms, via neural signals. BCI technology requires recording of brain activity, which can be done invasively or non-invasively with electrical conductors5. The neural activity required for BCI is measured through electroencephalograms (EEGs), which are thought to be generated by cortical pyramidal neurons6. For our research, we used our BCI technology to accumulate and quantify EEG data to address the effects of music on brain waves.

The Relationship between Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and Cognitive Function with The Performance of qEEG Examination in First Year Medical Students

Introductions: Medical students are required to lifelong learning. Electroencephalog-raphy is a neuroscience tool that can be used to record brain wave activity related to a person’s cognitive function. Objective: This study was conducted to see the relationship between self-regulated learning and cognitive function with quantitative electroencepha-logram (qEEG) parameters. Methods: This study used an observa-tional analytic approach to assess self-regulated learning and cog-nitive function using the MSLQ and MoCA-INA questionnaires. qEEG recording to see brain wave activity was done when the eyes were open and closed and seen in alpha and beta waves. The sam-ple of this study amounted to 32 respondents who were willing to carry out each research procedure. Results: The study findings reveal a significant correlation between SRL and qEEG parameters. In the open-eye condition, such a correla-tion exists in the frontal and central regions with regard to alpha waves (P = 0.046 and P = 0.047). In contrast, in the closed-eye condition, it exists in the occipital, central, and parietal regions with alpha waves (P = 0.005, P = 0.021, and P = 0.049) and the central region with beta waves (P = 0.030). There is a significant correla-tion between cognitive function and qEEG parameters observed in both open and closed-eye conditions within the frontal region beta waves (P = 0.024, P = 0.044, and P = 0.021). Conclusions: There is a relationship between SRL and cognitive function with alpha and beta wave activity on qEEG recording.

Analysis of EEG Signals Between Motor Imaginary Tasks and Rest Condition for Biometric Application

Biometric technology has gained immense popularity as an effective solution for enhancing cybersecurity, specifically in countering financial fraud and security threats. EEG-based authentication is unique among biometric authentication methods due to its unparalleled confidentiality and non-replicability. This study explores the feasibility of using motor imagery tasks and rest conditions for human authentication. Ten physically fit subjects, aged between 20 and 28 years, participated voluntarily in the study. The subjects perform imaginary tasks involving their left and right-hand movement. Each task lasted for two minutes, separated by a one-minute break, and EEG data were collected using the EPOC+ device, which features 14-channel electrodes. The sampling frequency was set at 128 Hz. To extract relevant frequency information, Butterworth bandpass filters were employed to extract the alpha (8-13Hz), beta (14-30Hz), and gamma (30-42Hz) frequency bands. Linear features, such as power spectral density (PSD), were obtained using the Welch Method and the Burg Method, while spectral entropy was used to extract non-linear features. Statistical features mean, median, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum were derived from the PSD, and spectral entropy was used as input for the classifiers. Multiple classifiers, including k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree and Naive Bayes, were employed for the classification task. The Welch method combined with the support vector machine classifier achieved a higher classification accuracy of 96.83% for the beta waves from channels C3, C4, O1, and O2, corresponding to the frontal and occipital lobes. Interestingly, the rest conditions exhibited a higher classification accuracy of 96.83% compared to the motor-imagery tasks, which achieved 96.04%. The utilization of motor imagery tasks and rest conditions, along with the application of advanced classification techniques, holds promise for the development of robust and reliable biometric systems in cybersecurity.

Rest to Promote Learning: A Brain Default Mode Network Perspective.

The brain often switches freely between focused attention and divergent thinking, and the Default Mode Network (DMN) is activated during brain rest. Since its discovery, the DMN, together with its function and characteristics, indicates that learning does not stop when the brain "rests". Therefore, DMN plays an important role in learning. Neural activities such as beta wave rhythm regulation, "subconscious" divergence thinking mode initiation, hippocampal function, and neural replay occur during default mode, all of which explains that "rest" promotes learning. This paper summarized the function and neural mechanism of DMN in learning and proposed that the DMN plays an essential role in learning, which is that it enables rest to promote learning.

Room Steering Temperature Determination with Variable Concerned of Driver Conditions Who are Sleep Deprived and Road Condition

Among the main reasons for the high death rate worldwide are traffic accidents. The most common cause of road accidents is driver fatigue. Not getting enough sleep is one thing that makes people tired. A study on how sleep-deprived sleep-deprived drivers felt about themselves was conducted, and the results showed that they were tired. A potential preventive measure against the driver's extreme weariness is the room steering temperature. The goal of this research is to find the room temperature range that produces the most minor drowsiness is this research's goal. The research used six treatments in a 40-minute driving simulator: hot, cold, pleasant room temperature steering, and monotonous and non-monotonous road conditions. With the Electroencephalogram, one may measure one's state of sleepiness by monitoring brain wave activity. Six treatments were administered to each of the study's four young adult male participants. Teta, alpha, and beta wave powers are derived by processing data from brain wave activity using Matlab R2009A. An ANOVA test is used to discover which factors affect the degree of drowsiness by using the ratio of sleepiness level, which is determined using the equation (θ + α) /β. ANOVA test results indicated that while road conditions and room steering temperature impacted sleepiness, their interaction had no effect. Just the hot-cold level is found to be significantly different by the Tukey and Newman Keuls tests. For sleep-deprived drivers, the temperature differences between hot and cold conditions result in varying drowsiness. The research's practical conclusion is that, for sleep-deprived drivers, a hot temperature range (>26°C–29°C) can result in the lowest level of tiredness.

Tactile Location Perception Encoded by Gamma-Band Power.

The perception of tactile-stimulation locations is an important function of the human somatosensory system during body movements and its interactions with the surroundings. Previous psychophysical and neurophysiological studies have focused on spatial location perception of the upper body. In this study, we recorded single-trial electroencephalography (EEG) responses evoked by four vibrotactile stimulators placed on the buttocks and thighs while the human subject was sitting in a chair with a cushion. Briefly, 14 human subjects were instructed to sit in a chair for a duration of 1 h or 1 h and 45 min. Two types of cushions were tested with each subject: a foam cushion and an air-cell-based cushion dedicated for wheelchair users to alleviate tissue stress. Vibrotactile stimulations were applied to the sitting interface at the beginning and end of the sitting period. Somatosensory-evoked potentials were obtained using a 32-channel EEG. An artificial neural net was used to predict the tactile locations based on the evoked EEG power. We found that single-trial beta (13-30 Hz) and gamma (30-50 Hz) waves can best predict the tactor locations with an accuracy of up to 65%. Female subjects showed the highest performances, while males' sensitivity tended to degrade after the sitting period. A three-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the air-cell cushion maintained location sensitivity better than the foam cushion. Our finding shows that tactile location information is encoded in EEG responses and provides insights on the fundamental mechanisms of the tactile system, as well as applications in brain-computer interfaces that rely on tactile stimulation.

The effects of multi-colour light filtering glasses on human brain wave activity

The prevalence of electronic screens in modern society has significantly increased our exposure to high-energy blue and violet light wavelengths. Accumulating evidence links this exposure to adverse visual and cognitive effects and sleep disturbances. To mitigate these effects, the optical industry has introduced a variety of filtering glasses. However, the scientific validation of these glasses has often been based on subjective reports and a narrow range of objective measures, casting doubt on their true efficacy. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain wave activity to evaluate the effects of glasses that filter multiple wavelengths (blue, violet, indigo, and green) on human brain activity. Our results demonstrate that wearing these multi-colour light filtering glasses significantly reduces beta wave power (13–30 Hz) compared to control or no glasses. Prior research has associated a reduction in beta power with the calming of heightened mental states, such as anxiety. As such, our results suggest that wearing glasses such as the ones used in this study may also positively change mental states, for instance, by promoting relaxation. This investigation is innovative in applying neuroimaging techniques to confirm that light-filtering glasses can induce measurable changes in brain activity.

Efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation for controlling of food craving in subjects with overweight or obesity

IntroductionThis study investigates the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving improvement and changes in brain function associated with craving in overweight and obese subjects.ObjectivesFood craving disregards the homeostatic mechanisms related to appetite and nullifies the rewarding effects of food, directly contributing to body weight and eventually leading to obesity. In this study, we aim to explore the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving improvement and changes in brain function associated with craving by conducting a total of 10 sessions of tDCS over a period of 2 weeks on overweight and obese subjects.MethodsA total of 86 patients who were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2) during the study period were included. The tDCS montage involved placing the anode over the left and the cathode over the right DLPFC. Weight, BMI, neuropsychological variables, and food craving-related variables were assessed. We measured absolute and relative EEG power in 19 channels and analyzed QEEG according to the following frequency ranges: delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (12–25 Hz), high beta (25–30 Hz), and gamma (30–80 Hz).ResultsAfter the application of tDCS, there was no significant reduction observed in weight and BMI. However, all measures related to food and eating showed a decrease in the intensity of cravings, and there was also a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. In quantitative EEG analysis, an increase in theta waves was observed in the left frontal area (F7 and F3), an increase in alpha waves in the right parietal area (P4), and a decrease in beta waves in the frontal area (FP2) and occipital area (O1).ConclusionsThis study investigated the effects of tDCS on food craving in overweight and obese individuals, and it was found that there were improvements in psychological factors such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, using quantitative EEG, neurophysiological changes were observed, including an increase in theta waves and a decrease in beta waves.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

BRAIN AND CREATIVITY

Great ideas seem to come out of nowhere. Now we are one step closer to understanding how they appear. The areas responsible for language and creativity are thought to compete in the brain, which may explain why some people with brain damage suddenly become artists. Originality - or the ability to think of new ideas that do not occur to many people - is the key aspect of creativity. Researchers are trying to determine the mechanism by which originality is established. While creativity is generated by the right hemisphere of the brain, it is suppressed by language-specific processes in the left hemisphere: “Language regions may compete with the right hemisphere's ability to produce creative ideas.” This would explain why when areas responsible for language processing are affected, originality appears to increase. A brilliant idea is not enough to qualify a person as creative. Creativity is among the human characteristics whose mysteries we are still trying to understand. It seems almost impossible to find a clear definition for it, and it is equally difficult to look for its origins in the human brain. Many researchers define creativity as a special performance that is both new and appropriate. If we look at creativity as a concept rather than a trait, a number of factors must be considered. For example, an ingenious idea must be realized in such a way that it is visible and useful to others. Only a person who succeeds in this can truly be called creative. Creativity is a complex process that requires the activation of several areas of the brain. So far it is not clear whether creativity requires a specific neural architecture or not. At the root of all thoughts, emotions and behaviors is communication between neurons. Brain waves are the products of synchronized electrical impulses resulting from the communication of masses of neurons. The speed of brain waves is measured in Hz and are divided into categories that delineate slow, moderate and fast waves. They change according to activities or feelings. The electroencephalograph measures brain waves of different frequencies in the brain by using sensors placed on the scalp, the frequency representing the recurrence of a wave in one second. If any of these frequencies are deficient, excessive or difficult to access, psychic performance can suffer. Learning about brain waves and brain wave frequencies is key to understanding how to navigate and reprogram the mind, and to access deeper levels of consciousness. In neuroscience, there are five distinct brainwave frequencies, namely Beta waves, Alpha waves, Theta waves, Delta waves, and Gamma waves. Each frequency has its own set of characteristics representing a specific level of brain activity and a corresponding unique state of consciousness.

Effects of high carbon dioxide concentration on emotional processing: Based on multimodal evidence

The effects of CO2 on emotional processing are still incompletely understood, although its effects on cognitive performance are widely recognized. This study hypothesized that elevated CO2 concentration would affect the processing of different valence emotions, which leads to more negative emotions and fewer positive emotions. A within-subject experiment was conducted to compare subjective emotional scores, emotional processing behavioral performance, EEG patterns, and other physiological changes of 30 participants exposed to CO2 concentration at 600 ppm and 5000 ppm. The results suggested that CO2 concentration could affect neural arousal patterns during emotional processing, changes in blood pressure, and salivary cortisol secretion in healthy participants. Emotional experience task performance of participants was also affected by CO2, which was not statistically significant. At the high CO2 concentration, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) level was significantly lower (p = 0.005), while the salivary cortisol level was significantly higher (p = 0.037). Power spectral density analysis showed that there was a significant interaction between CO2 concentration and emotional valence for theta waves in frontal regions (p = 0.029), beta waves in temporal regions (p = 0.017), and gamma waves in frontal-parietal occipital regions (p = 0.013). The present study found that CO2 has a negative effect on emotional processing, such as reducing the speed and accuracy of emotional processing. To some extent, there are also some positive effects, like reducing emotionally-induced increases in blood pressure. This finding warrants further research.

Brainwaves and Emotional Responses to Changes in Red Eye Shadow Brightness and Saturation

Purpose: Investigating how Munsell’s primary color (i.e., red eye shadow) influences human brain and emotional responses to establish foundational data for image formation. Methods: We analyzed the relative power differences in background brainwaves due to variations in five levels of brightness and saturation for each eye both in male and female individuals in their twenties. We used the coefficient of variation for brainwaves for our analysis. In addition, we assessed the preferences for altered red eye shadow and the emotional responses to determine the average preference index. We performed statistical analysis for brainwaves and emotional evaluations using repeated measure analysis of variance in SPSS, followed by post hoc testing with Tukey’s test at a 95% confidence level. Results: The brainwave and emotional responses obtained by presenting red eye shadow brightness and saturation modification-created stimuli revealed that both men and women exhibited beta and gamma wave activation and alpha wave inactivation upon low brightness and high saturation stimuli. Men were more sensitive to brightness stimuli, whereas women displayed higher-level variability in brainwave responses upon saturation changes. Both genders preferred red eye shadows with brightness and saturation levels of 8 and 2, respectively. The perceptual image responses indicated that stimuli with low or high brightness were perceived as modern and subtle or clear and cute, respectively. Medium or high saturation stimuli were perceived as clear and natural or associated with a modern image, respectively, by both genders. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the impact of various color stimuli on the human brain and emotions. We consider the obtained results as foundational data, which could be used in future image consulting or when crafting desired image presentations.

Investigating the Relationship between Noise Exposure and Human Cognitive Performance: Attention, Stress, and Mental Workload Based on EEG Signals Using Power Spectrum Density

A pervasive environmental stressor is one that damages mental and physical health as well as cognitive abilities by producing noise at a specific frequency and level. Current noise pollution levels pose a significant threat to public health, potentially leading to impaired cognitive function, increased stress, and other negative health consequences. This study aims to investigate the relationship between noise exposure and human cognitive abilities using a comprehensive analysis of power spectrum density (PSD) derived from EEG signals. Twenty-four participants completed the experiment to identify the effect of exposure to different noise levels (55 dB, 65 dB, 70 dB, 75 dB, 80 dB, and 85 dB) and two types of continuous and intermittent noise. The Stroop Color–Word Test and the Emotive Epoch EEG are cognitive task instruments used during experiments. Behavioral performance (accuracy and response time) and power spectrum electroencephalographic density were collected and analyzed. The methodology involved collecting EEG data from participants exposed to controlled noise stimuli and a subsequent PSD analysis to uncover frequency-specific patterns associated with cognitive processes. Attention levels were measured by examining beta wave activity, while stress responses were evaluated through an alpha wave analysis. Additionally, mental workload was assessed by considering the overall distribution of PSD through the theta-to-alpha ratio. The results revealed a significant relationship between the exposure to noise types and levels and human cognitive ability. The analysis of the power spectrum density on the cognitive aspects of attention and stress yielded results indicating that participants were in the best attention condition and in a relaxed or unstressed state when exposed to noise levels of 65 dB in both continuous and intermittent noise types. For the mental workload aspect, participants exposed to both continuous and intermittent noise types at a noise level of 70 dB began to indicate the presence of mental workload. These findings supported the importance of considering the impact of environmental noise on human cognitive well-being and demonstrated the potential of EEG monitoring as an objective tool for assessing the impact of noise on cognitive performance.

Alpha and Beta Oscillations Differentially Support Word Production in a Rule-Switching Task.

Research into the role of brain oscillations in basic perceptual and cognitive functions has suggested that the alpha rhythm reflects functional inhibition while the beta rhythm reflects neural ensemble (re)activation. However, little is known regarding the generalization of these proposed fundamental operations to linguistic processes, such as speech comprehension and production. Here, we recorded magnetoencephalography in participants performing a novel rule-switching paradigm. Specifically, Dutch native speakers had to produce an alternative exemplar from the same category or a feature of a given target word embedded in spoken sentences (e.g., for the word "tuna", an exemplar from the same category-"seafood"-would be "shrimp", and a feature would be "pink"). A cue indicated the task rule-exemplar or feature-either before (pre-cue) or after (retro-cue) listening to the sentence. Alpha power during the working memory delay was lower for retro-cue compared with that for pre-cue in the left hemispheric language-related regions. Critically, alpha power negatively correlated with reaction times, suggestive of alpha facilitating task performance by regulating inhibition in regions linked to lexical retrieval. Furthermore, we observed a different spatiotemporal pattern of beta activity for exemplars versus features in the right temporoparietal regions, in line with the proposed role of beta in recruiting neural networks for the encoding of distinct categories. Overall, our study provides evidence for the generalizability of the role of alpha and beta oscillations from perceptual to more "complex, linguistic processes" and offers a novel task to investigate links between rule-switching, working memory, and word production.

The phase of tACS-entrained pre-SMA beta oscillations modulates motor inhibition

Inhibitory control has been linked to beta oscillations in the fronto-basal ganglia network. Here we aim to investigate the functional role of the phase of this oscillatory beta rhythm for successful motor inhibition. We applied 20 Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) while presenting stop signals at 4 (Experiment 1) and 8 (Experiment 2) equidistant phases of the tACS entrained beta oscillations. Participants showed better inhibitory performance when stop signals were presented at the trough of the beta oscillation whereas their inhibitory control performance decreased with stop signals being presented at the oscillatory beta peak. These results are consistent with the communication through coherence theory, in which postsynaptic effects are thought to be greater when an input arrives at an optimal phase within the oscillatory cycle of the target neuronal population. The current study provides mechanistic insights into the neural communication principles underlying successful motor inhibition and may have implications for phase-specific interventions aimed at treating inhibitory control disorders such as PD or OCD.

The Effect of Alpha Binaural Beats Auditory Stimulation on Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) and Pain Intensity among Tension-Type Headache Patients

Tension-type headaches, the most prevalent primary headaches affecting 2-5% of the population, significantly impact sufferers' well-being. These headaches present a persistent health challenge, constituting a considerable portion of neurologist outpatient visits. Effectively managing tension-type headaches remains challenging and can lead to notable morbidity if untreated. Treatment typically involves prophylactic pharmacological therapy alongside non-pharmacological interventions. Among non-medication therapies, brainwave entrainment using binaural beats emerges as a promising option for chronic headaches. This experimental research employed a pre-test and post-test design over a 5-day period (30 minutes daily) to assess Alpha Binaural Beats Auditory stimulation's impact on the QEEG pattern and pain intensity reduction in tension-type headache patients. The study, involving 32 participants, revealed a statistically significant increase in relative alpha wave power (p-value of 0.000) and a significant decrease in relative beta wave power (p-value of 0.045) after exposure to alpha binaural beats. Additionally, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) recorded a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (p-value of 0.000). These findings suggest that Alpha binaural beats contribute to increased alpha wave activity, decreased beta wave activity in the QEEG pattern, and a substantial reduction in pain intensity associated with tension-type headaches. However, further research is needed to explore cumulative effects and long-term sustainability in tension-type headache patients, advancing our understanding and application of this therapy.