Previous research has found that Autobiographical Thinking (ABT) affects memory consolidation and can be linked to Alpha- and Slow/Delta range brain oscillations. Binaural beats might therefore be...Show morePrevious research has found that Autobiographical Thinking (ABT) affects memory consolidation and can be linked to Alpha- and Slow/Delta range brain oscillations. Binaural beats might therefore be an effective way of improving memory consolidation. The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of binaural beats stimulation on ABT and memory consolidation. 37 participants performed a face encoding task where they judged faces as either friendly or unfriendly. Subsequently, participants experienced 8 minutes of Alpha (9Hz) binaural beat stimulation, Slow/Delta (0.5Hz) binaural beat stimulation, or Control (pink-noise) stimulation. Twice during these 8 minutes, we asked participants to indicate what percentage of time they spend engaged in ABT, and how intense these thoughts were. Memory for each set of faces was subsequently tested in an old/new recognition memory test. Our data did not suggest any significant relation between binaural beats, ABT and memory performance. Alpha range binaural beats were however related with more intense ABT. Notwithstanding the limitations of the current study, it can be concluded that binaural beats might not be a feasible intervention to enhance consolidation of episodic memory. Further research could clarify whether other types of memory do benefit from binaural beats stimulation.Show less
