Universal Informatics · Research reading room

Theta binaural beats for pain, cognition and anxiety

EXPLORE · 2026 · Systematic review + meta-analysis of RCTs

Original publication

Recorded summary

Across 13 RCTs, theta (4-8 Hz) binaural beats reduced pain, showed anxiety benefit mainly in procedural and chronic-pain settings, and improved episodic memory—supporting focused testing in Universal Mind's 5-8 Hz range.

Recorded limitations

Overall pain evidence was low certainty, outcomes varied, and the review does not establish PTSD efficacy or validate a complete sound layer.

Evidence and provenance

Chapter Trust Factor uses a minimum of three distinct qualifying studies. Publication records retain their own evidence and assessment.

Study design and assessment
design
Systematic review + meta-analysis of RCTs
assessment
Not recorded
trust Factor
score
Not recorded
scope
Paper
status
unassessed
randomized Controlled Trial
Not recorded
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
false
basis
Publication-specific design or publication status remains unconfirmed.
sources

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
evidence
Not recorded
Topics and recorded topic scores
  1. key
    sound:i
    title
    Brain entrainment, pain, anxiety and heart-rate variability
    collection
    sound
    trust Score
    3
Citation snapshot and identifiers
id
portal-e25cb1d2bb79
doi
10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471
pmid
Not recorded
citation Snapshot
Not recorded
citations By Collection
sound
Not recorded
Complete approved library record
id
portal-e25cb1d2bb79
publication Key
Not recorded
aliases
None recorded
title
Theta binaural beats for pain, cognition and anxiety
journal
EXPLORE
neurotransmitters
None recorded
year
2026
authors
design
Systematic review + meta-analysis of RCTs
kind
Portal source record
identity Conflict
Not recorded
doi
10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471
urls

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471

collections

sound

categories

Brain & nervous system · Clinical & self-report

targets
None recorded
priority
1
quotes
None recorded
summary
Across 13 RCTs, theta (4-8 Hz) binaural beats reduced pain, showed anxiety benefit mainly in procedural and chronic-pain settings, and improved episodic memory—supporting focused testing in Universal Mind's 5-8 Hz range.
limitation
Overall pain evidence was low certainty, outcomes varied, and the review does not establish PTSD efficacy or validate a complete sound layer.
citation Count
Not recorded
paper Trust Assessment
score
Not recorded
scope
Paper
status
unassessed
randomized Controlled Trial
Not recorded
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
false
basis
Publication-specific design or publication status remains unconfirmed.
sources

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
citations By Collection
sound
Not recorded
topics
  1. key
    sound:i
    title
    Brain entrainment, pain, anxiety and heart-rate variability
    collection
    sound
    trust Score
    3
journal Key
journal Label
EXPLORE
chapter Entries
  1. id
    i-portal-e25cb1d2bb79
    record Id
    portal-e25cb1d2bb79
    title
    Theta binaural beats for pain, cognition and anxiety
    journal
    EXPLORE
    year
    2026
    authors
    design
    Systematic review + meta-analysis of RCTs
    urls

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471

    quotes
    None recorded
    citation Count
    Not recorded
    source Pages
    None recorded
    targets
    None recorded
    categories

    Brain & nervous system · Clinical & self-report

    doi
    10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471
    pmid
    Not recorded
    summary
    Across 13 RCTs, theta (4-8 Hz) binaural beats reduced pain, showed anxiety benefit mainly in procedural and chronic-pain settings, and improved episodic memory—supporting focused testing in Universal Mind's 5-8 Hz range.
    limitation
    Overall pain evidence was low certainty, outcomes varied, and the review does not establish PTSD efficacy or validate a complete sound layer.
    summary Source
    name
    I AM portal
    url
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471
    reviewed At
    2026-08-15
    paper Trust Assessment
    score
    Not recorded
    scope
    Paper
    status
    unassessed
    randomized Controlled Trial
    Not recorded
    blinding
    not-confirmed
    peer Reviewed
    false
    basis
    Publication-specific design or publication status remains unconfirmed.
    sources

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103471

    review Scope
    Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
    assessed At
    2026-10-27
    collection
    sound
    chapter Number
    1
    topic Id
    i
    topic Title
    Brain entrainment, pain, anxiety and heart-rate variability
    trust Score
    3
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
condition Evidence
  1. id
    anxiety
    evidence
    1. field
      title
      text
      Theta binaural beats for pain, cognition and anxiety
      matched Text
      anxiety
conditions

anxiety

topic Trust Scores

3

full Text
status
not-indexed
retrieval Available
false

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