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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Oct 26;14(1):25553.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75943-8.

Lightening the mind with audiovisual stimulation as an accessible alternative to breath-focused meditation for mood and cognitive enhancement

Micah Alan Johnson  1   2 , Ninette Simonian  1 , Nicco Reggente  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Lightening the mind with audiovisual stimulation as an accessible alternative to breath-focused meditation for mood and cognitive enhancement

Micah Alan Johnson et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

In this randomized, controlled, and double-blind experiment with a relatively large sample (n = 262), a novel technique of audiovisual stimulation (AVS) was demonstrated to substantially improve self-reported mood states by reducing several negative affects, including anxiety and depression, and enhancing performance on mood-sensitive cognitive tasks. Most of the AVS effects were highly similar whether binaural beats were present or not and regardless of the duration of experience. Remarkably, the mood benefits from AVS closely aligned with those achieved through breath-focused meditation with additional evidence that a brief AVS exposure of approximately five minutes may be sufficient or even optimal for improving mood to a comparable or greater degree than meditation sessions of equal or longer durations (11-22 min). These exciting findings position AVS as a promising avenue for mood and cognition enhancement and a potentially more accessible "plug-and-play" alternative to meditation, which is especially relevant considering the high attrition rates commonly observed in meditation practices.

Keywords: Audiovisual stimulation; Binaural; Meditation; Mood; Stroboscopic; Technodelic.

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Conflict of interest statement

This research was financially supported under a Research Services Agreement executed between the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies (a 501(c)(3) non-profit) and INTO Technologies, Inc (San Francisco, CA). It is imperative to note that the terms of this agreement did not incorporate any provisions or incentives contingent upon the attainment of specific outcomes or successful results; the agreement was solely predicated on underwriting the requisite expenses for the study’s execution. Competing Interests (N.R.): N.R. was separately contracted by INTO Technologies, Inc. to furnish occasional executive summaries and provide scientific consulting; these engagements were distinctly unrelated to, and not contingent upon, the outcomes or results of the primary research. Competing Interests (M.J. and N.S.): No competing interests declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Left Panel: The electronic light array (ELA) of 192 single-color LEDs with 8 color frequencies that shine through a diffuser that permits 31% transmission. The device is developed by INTO Technologies, Inc. (San Francisco, CA) and intended to induce visual phosphenes behind closed eyelids. Right Panel: Simulated depiction of the visual percept induced by the stroboscopic stimulation following the ELA 1 composition. Image generated using stable diffusion based artificial intelligence (Midjourney, v6) in response to prompts from phenomenological reports provided by N.R.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Top Panel: Illustration of the experimental setup, showing the (A) MacBook running Ableton Live 10 and outputting audio through Sony XBA-100 earbuds and visual composition information to (B) ELA device affixed to the desk via a (C) M! ka arm mount swivel while participants sat in (D) a powered recliner. All participants were connected to a 64-channel EEG with a (E) dual-amplifier and a suite of bioperipherals connected to a (F) receiver. Bottom Panel: Profile view of the ELA device placed approximately five inches away from the participant’s closed eyelids using the mount.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Illustration of the experimental protocol showing each participant’s shared (pre and post batteries) and group-specific experiences (ELA1, ELA2, or Meditation) that lasted either 5.5, 11, or 22 min. The total on-site portion of the experiment lasted approximately hours.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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