Clinical Research Directory

Effect of Alpha-Band Binaural Beats on Stress and Recovery in Third Molar Surgery

Preoperative anxiety and loud equipment noises, such as dental drills, create significant stress and autonomic fluctuations in patients undergoing oral surgery. Brainwave entrainment using alpha-band (10 Hz) binaural beats is a non-invasive audio method designed to promote relaxation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The purpose of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a 10 Hz alpha-band binaural beat track embedded in continuous rain sound on reducing perioperative anxiety, maintaining hemodynamic stability, and improving postoperative recovery in patients undergoing impacted third molar extraction. Fifty-four healthy adult participants (ASA I) scheduled for impacted third molar surgery will be randomly assigned into three groups:Binaural Beats Group: Listening to 10 Hz alpha binaural beats embedded in a rain sound via active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones during surgery. Placebo Group: Listening to rain sound only via ANC headphones during surgery. Active Control Group: Wearing ANC headphones with no audio broadcast (noise cancellation feature only). Preoperative dental anxiety, hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation) at four distinct intraoperative stages, post-surgical stress levels, and 7-day postoperative pain/analgesic consumption will be measured and compared among the groups.

Binaural Beats for Postoperative Pain and Anxiety Reduction

To deliver a 30-minute binaural beats audio intervention in PACU and collect pain and anxiety outcomes immediately following surgery, and 4 hours following surgery completion in adults undergoing ambulatory total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA).

The Effect of Virtual Reality and Binaural Beats on Pain, Anxiety, and Vital Signs During Cystoscopy

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of nature videos viewed through virtual reality goggles and binaural beat audio played during cystoscopy on pain, anxiety, and vital signs. The study was conducted between September 2025 and December 2025 with 60 patients who applied to the cystoscopy unit of a public hospital in Istanbul and met the inclusion criteria. Patients in the experimental group (n=30) were shown nature videos using virtual reality goggles and listened to binaural beats through headphones, while patients in the control group (n=30) received no intervention other than routine care. Research data were collected using the Patient Introduction Form, Visual Analog Scale, State Anxiety Scale, and Vital Findings Form. It was determined that nature videos and binaural beats played through virtual reality goggles during cystoscopy reduced patients' pain and anxiety levels and positively affected their vital signs.

Binaural Sound During Phacoemulsification and Posterior Chamber Lens Implantation in Geriatric Patients

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of binaural beats on patient satisfaction and intraoperative comfort in patients aged 65 years or older undergoing cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with propofol. Participants are randomly assigned to either a binaural beat group or a control group. The binaural beat group will wear earphones and listen to binaural beats from the time they arrive at the operating room until the surgery is completed. The control group will wear identical earphones but will not receive any auditory stimulus. During the procedure, standard vital signs and the bispectral index (BIS) will be continuously monitored in both groups. Following the surgery, the investigators will assess the patients' overall satisfaction using a 7-point Likert scale. Secondary assessments include patient preference for the anesthesia method, intraoperative pain intensity, sedation level, anxiety level, and quality of life (EQ-VAS) measured by a visual analogue scale. Any surgery-related discomfort or adverse events will also be recorded and compared between the two groups.

Binaural Beat Music, Stress, and Orthodontic Anxiety

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if alpha binaural beat-embedded relaxing music reduces anxiety and stress in adolescents undergoing orthodontic bracket placement. It will also learn about the safety and effectiveness of music-based auditory interventions. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does alpha binaural beat music reduce anxiety levels during orthodontic bracket placement? Does music listening reduce physiologic stress parameters and salivary stress biomarkers? Is alpha binaural beat music more effective than relaxing music alone? Researchers will compare alpha binaural beat music and relaxing music to a control condition (headphones without audio) to see if these interventions reduce anxiety and stress during orthodontic treatment. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: alpha binaural beat music, relaxing music, or control Listen to the assigned audio (or no audio) during orthodontic bracket placement Complete anxiety questionnaires before and after the procedure Undergo measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and oxygen saturation Provide saliva samples before and after the procedure for analysis of cortisol, alpha-amylase, and pH levels

Decreasing Stress Via Virtual Reality and Binaural Beats in Non-Clinical Adults

This study is a non-clinical substudy conducted within the DESTRESS research program (NCT05036538), which investigates the effects of relaxation interventions on physiological and psychological parameters. While the main DESTRESS trial focuses on cardiac surgical patients, this additional study arm examines the same interventions in a non-clinical adult population under controlled conditions, independent of disease-, surgery-, or medication-related influences. Participants are randomly assigned to one of several experimental conditions and take part in a single approximately 30-minute session. Depending on group allocation, the session may include exposure to natural soundscapes, natural soundscapes combined with binaural beats, virtual reality-based natural environments, virtual reality combined with binaural beats, or a control condition without a relaxation intervention. The primary aim of the DESTUD-Study is to assess the feasibility and potential stress-reducing effects of these non-pharmacological relaxation approaches in a non-clinical setting and to support the interpretation of findings from the clinical DESTRESS trial. Physiological responses, including heart rate variability and electrodermal activity, as well as self-reported stress measures, are collected before, during and after the conditions.

Effects of Nature-Based Virtual Reality and Binaural Beats on Heart Rate Variability and Relaxation

The VRELAX study is a non-clinical sub-study within the "Decreasing Preoperative Stress to Prevent Postoperative Delirium and Postoperative Cognitive Decline in Cardiac Surgical Patients"- research program (DESTRESS; NCT05036538), which investigates non-pharmacological relaxation interventions using virtual reality and binaural auditory stimulation. In a randomized counterbalanced within-subject design, non-clinical adult participants complete two sessions separated by a 1 day intervention-free interval. A 30-minute immersive nature-based virtual reality exposure combined with gradually decreasing binaural beats (10-1 Hertz (Hz)), and a control condition without relaxation. Heart rate variability (HRV) is recorded continuously, and subjective stress is assessed before and after each condition. The primary outcome is parasympathetic activation operationalized as high-frequency (HF) power of heart rate variability. Secondary outcomes include additional HRV parameters and self-reported stress ratings. The study aims to characterize short-term relaxation effects and evaluate the feasibility of independent use in everyday settings, supporting interpretation of clinical findings of the DESTRESS trial.