Acoustic Stimulation & the Nervous System

Topic: Research on acoustic stimulation protocols (broadly defined) and their effects on neurological and autonomic outcomes such as symptoms after brain injury and heart-rate variability (HRV).

• A 2024 systematic review examined multiple forms of auditory and acoustic stimulation and their effects on heart-rate variability (HRV), an established physiological marker of autonomic nervous system function.
  Summary: While study designs and stimulation protocols varied widely, several controlled trials within this review reported significant HRV changes associated with acoustic stimulation, including increases in parasympathetic markers. The authors noted that results are mixed overall, highlighting areas for further investigation.
  🔗Auditory and acoustic stimulation effects on HRV — systematic review — PMC (2024)

• In a 2023 randomized controlled trial, researchers investigated the effects of acoustic stimulation in a zero-gravity chair environment over a 10-hour period in individuals with post-concussion syndrome (PCS).
  Findings: Participants who received the acoustic stimulation protocol demonstrated significant improvements in symptom severity and functional outcome measures compared with control conditions, suggesting that controlled acoustic environments may support recovery processes after concussion.
  🔗  Randomized, controlled clinical trial of acoustic stimulation to reduce postconcussive symptoms — PMC (2023)