Acoustical Neuro-Modulation as a Treatment for Anxiety

The Hartwell Foundation has recently committed to support a rigorous pilot study at Cornell Weill College of Medicine on the effectiveness of sound as a means to reduce anxiety in children. An algorithm that takes into account amplitude, frequency and phase modulation associated with the well-known EEG frequency bands of α, β1, β2, θ, δ and ϒ generates the acoustic signal. Referred to as Acoustical Neuro-Modulation (ANM), the inventors hypothesize that the brain response to such modulated sound influences the neural transduction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system, thereby modulating the release of neurotransmitters to influence psychological and physiological behavior. If the clinical trial is successful in demonstrating a reduction in anxiety following administration of ANM, the Foundation will seek to explore the effectiveness of the approach on anxiety associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

HOME