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Prospect of Brainwave Entrainment to Promote Well-Being in Individuals: A Brief Review

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Abstract

Brainwave entrainment (BWE) refers to the use of external stimuli to produce a frequency following response of brainwaves to match the frequency of the external stimuli. The current paper is a brief review and aims to focus on BWE process as a therapeutic approach to vitalize cognitive functioning along with well-being of individuals. Also, it aims to observe the prospect of BWE as an intervention in India. Thirty studies met the criteria and were critically analyzed on the basis of demographic and clinical variables. Findings suggest a shift from the physiological to psychological implications of BWE. Review suggests that there is a dearth of longitudinal studies and with children. However, some studies have highlighted improvement in overall functioning after BWE sessions. The paper suggests that there is a need to conduct studies on clinical and child population to apply BWE as an intervention to promote overall well-being in children.

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Notes

  1. Two separate tones when presented to each ear, the brainwave patterns mimic the difference between these tones.

  2. Device used to produce regular flashes of light.

  3. Instrument which is used to measure alterations in volume within an organ as well as the whole body.

  4. A non-invasive method used to monitor rest and/or activity cycles in humans.

  5. Test which is used to diagnose sleep disorders.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Ms. Priteegandha Naik, Ms. Neha Yadav and Mr. Ashish Krishna from BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa campus, for their valuable comments and suggestions. We also wish to extend our appreciation to our department and institute for providing us with access to various resources.

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  1. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus, NH-17B, Zuarinagar, Goa, 403726, India

    Sandhya Basu & Bidisha Banerjee

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  1. Sandhya Basu
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  2. Bidisha Banerjee
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Correspondence to Sandhya Basu.

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Basu, S., Banerjee, B. Prospect of Brainwave Entrainment to Promote Well-Being in Individuals: A Brief Review. Psychol Stud 65, 296–306 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-020-00555-x

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