Studies Utilizing Audio Visual Entrainment (AVE) for Improving Cognitive Ability and Balance
Excerpted with permission from the Physical and Clinical Applications of Audio Visual Entrainment by David Siever of Mind Alive, Inc.
One of the challenges that clinicians serving the elderly population face is the challenge of reducing falls due to impaired balance and cognitive function. Studies demonstrate that audio visual entrainment can be an effective intervention.
Study using Audio Visual Entrainment to improve mental function
One of the first studies utilizing AVE for improving cognition in a senior population was by Dr. Thomas Budzynski (1998). He utilized both nuerofeedback and Ave to improve mental function in a 75 year old man. After that intervention, Budzynski and Tang (2001) treated 31 seniors using audio visual entrainment and the DAVID Pal AVE training device. The AVE treatment of light and sound was delivered over a period of 33 sessions to improve mental function in the study group. When compared to one-to-one therapy such as cognitive rehabilitation or nuerofeedback, the audio visual entrainment procedure is very cost effective. The devices are portable, and groups of 10 or more participants can be administered to at the same time. A computer based continuous performance test (CPT), the Microcog, was used to assess mental function as reported by Elwood. (2001)
The Microcog measures attention, reasoning ability, memory, spatial ability, reaction times, processing speed and accuracy, cognition and proficiency. Over 60% of all subjects showed improvements in these measures.
Anxiety and Depression associated with increased falls in senior population
A study involving 80 randomly assigned seniors by Berg and Siever (2004) utilized targeted audio visual entrainment. That is to say that the researchers surmised that reducing anxiety and depression would have the outcome of reduced falls. An attempt to reduce these depressive symptoms was engaged by administering audio visual entrainment frequencies in such a way that the Alpha production from the left frontal lobe was reduced creating a symmetry between the left and right frontal lobes. As a result of this targeted model of AVE delivery, the depression rating as recorded on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) by almost 50% in 8 weeks of treatment.
Balance and Gait improved with audio visual entrainment
Balance and gait were measured using the Tinetti Assessment Tool (Tinetti,1986) and the results demonstrated an improvement in balance as seen on the Balance Mean Score (BMS). So, as depression lifted, balance improved. Balance a gait improved between 4 and six weeks after the start of the AVE intervention, once the subjects trusted themselves enough to begin walking with a straighter gait. Their gait continued to improve throughout the eight weeks of the study.
AVE devices are available from the website that supports this blog.
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