Alpha waves are easily found by being mostly located over the occipital cortex and the frontal cortex; thus, it should not be surprising that in the first recorded EEG, alpha waves were waiting to be discovered (Ochoa, 1994). Alpha waves, seen in Figure 5, were named by Hans Berger because they were the first tangible evidence that he had finally accessed waves of electricity in the brain. The Austrian psychiatrist generated them on his primitive EEG machine (Hardt, 1994).
Berger’s alpha research continued with a controversial work published in 1918 that stated [in summary, roughly translated]: “Alpha waves [are] uncommon in anxious people, and if an anxious person did have a few Alpha waves, they [present] smaller than usual (a weaker signal with less amplitude)” (1818, cited in Hardt, 1994). As Scientists mapped out the four principle brain waves (alpha, beta, delta, and theta), alpha waves, from 8Hz to 13Hz remained the most interesting.
Alpha states are the mind at “idle,” a “wakeful relaxation with closed eyes” that characterizes the brain’s down time. At the lower end they are found in REM sleep, while at the highest level, they are most readily described as by an empty mind, such as might be achieved by meditation (Baztarrica Ochoa, 2002). By 1934 (Adrian & Matthews, 1934 cited in Foster 1999) was to write: ”a consensus had been reached that alpha activity was related to relief from both visual activity and attention” (Klinger, Greqoire, and Barta, 1973 cited in Foster, 1999).
The inverse relationship between anxiety and alpha states was the tantalizing one to researchers from many disciplines. Anxiety, dread, fear or the unknown, generalized fear, phobias, panic attacks, hypochondriasis, the fear that what was going on in the body was disease waiting to manifest—these were common ailments in the 19th century and as the 20th century progressed, they appeared to be getting worse instead of better. People feared most what lay within their own minds, and the greater their fears, the more what was in their minds could hurt them
The mental health community might not have existed at all without anxiety, unease, fear, unremitting, unrelenting fear, that could not be calmed by drugs, because that in itself gave birth to new fears. This new understanding of the alpha state opened a door, beginning a chain of understanding in how to bring much needed relief to the increasingly stressed population of the western world in the 20th century. Ultimately to goal would be to increasing the length and strength of alpha states (EEG Spectrum,2007).
Perhaps it was not such a surprise that alpha wave studies should move from identifying and mapping consciousness to studying the interaction of individuals with their own alpha states. It was discovered that not only could subjects be taught to be aware of their own alpha rhythms, some with amazing accuracy, but it was found that this awareness could, with practice, allow them to control their own alpha state (Kamiya, 1969). Soon researchers were “training people” through simple reinforcement techniques, “to increase their alpha activity” (EEG Spectrum, 2007). Consciousness could use EEG readings to be aware of itself and change itself for the better. Thus, the foundation of EEG biofeedback was established, a field in which binaural beats would come to play a part.
With the development of Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEGs), this data has been found to have a wide diagnostic and predictive value (Nash, 2009; PHYSorg.com, 2010; ) which has also left the door wide open for therapeutic treatment by binaural beats. Unfortunately, as Dr. Nash (2009), a neurotherapist trained in the use of QEEG, notes on his website, although the technology is far from experimental, having been tested since the ‘70s and ‘80s, today across the country , fewer than 3500 practitioners are using it, due to the extensive training and expenses involved. Many are simply unaware that they could in point of fact view the brains of those patients they are diagnosing, that the conditions they are deducing from symptoms (i.e., whether dementia or early onset Alzheimer’s) could be confirmed by a brainwave pattern, a fact of utmost importance to both patient and family.
Others, like Hunt (1995) were dissatisfied with the concept of EEGs defining consciousness—as “intuition, insight, creativity, imagination, understanding, thought, reasoning, intent, decision, knowing, will, spirit, or soul” cannot be directly translated into brainwave measurement (1995 cited in Intelegen, 2010). She wrote: “EEG measurements . . . are only an indirect means of assessing the mind-consciousness interface with the neurological structures of the brain” (1995 cited in Intelegen, 2010), a doorway to a great unknown, yet one that uses familiar scientific nomenclature.
Robert Monroe, for example, a subscriber to the dual brain theory, stated that we are a “half-brained society” (Monroe, 1985) . He held that that although the right brain contained “feeling, intuition, psychic sensitivity, and imagination,“ today in the Western world most people had no access to primordial qualities of life. Survival, competition, depended on “the left side of the brain: our rational intellect” (Felser, 2006). He developed a tool for brain synchronization, Hemi-Sync™ to help individuals learn how to access the right brain. With it, EEG and other readings would be used as a tool in showing the patient how hemispheric brain synchronization could be achieved, balancing the two sides for optimum brain health and well being.
However, the Monroe Institute (TMI) generally sells “journeys” and not simply doctor visits. For $1995, an individual signs up for the most suitable journey depending on the goals he or she wishes to achieve (from addiction recovery, weight loss, business success, or any one of the forays into parapsychology that TMI has become famous for) and goes to Virginia for a “voyage” of generally a week or so composed of Hemi-Sync® experiences, lectures, meditation sessions, and relaxation with fellow voyagers. At the end, a booklet that has recorded journal entries and print outs goes with the enlightened individual to last a lifetime—or, needless to say, until they return at a future date for the next level (The Monroe Institute, 2010). Figure 7 shows the enticing ad that appears at the bottom of each page of the Institute’s webpages.
However, others have found his tool, known as Hemi-Sync™ impractical. Some are simply put off by Monroe’s more unusual beliefs, such as astral travel. Others insist that synchronization between hemispheres is not simply a matter of a tune-up, and then you are off and running harmoniously for the next 50,000 miles. After all, the two hemispheres, in addition to running their respective sides of the body, do have different functions, although none could dispute that well balanced mind should ideally be both creative and rational.
To these critics, Monroe pointed out that they were mistaking the purpose and the process of Hemi-Sync®. Atwater (2011), now the Institute’s spokesperson, suggests that they are making this accusation because they have not read the materials thoroughly. It might be added, however, that the materials are quite long, poorly organized, and difficult to sift through, besides having a tendency to venture into the supernatural beliefs and a kind of intellectual self-awareness through selflessness mysticism which caused Monroe to develop Hemi-Sync® in the first place.
In any case, for those who missed it, he explains that it is not brain synchronization what Hemi-Sync®is promising. The olivary nuclei, in the each hemispheric brainstem, are merely receptor sites for the tones in different frequencies. Frequencies are altered as the signals go forward through the RAS network for processing, on their way to the brainstem’s superior olivary nucleus, where they arrive as altered frequencies. Generalization takes place throughout the RAS (Atwater,2011). An added feature of binaural beat treatment comes from the non-hemispheric entrainment enacted by the RAS, which is so important that it lent its name to Monroe’s Hemi-Sync® package: “ [The binaural beat] is a pattern synthesized by the coordination of the right and left hemispheres of your brain, Hemi-Sync, or hemispheric synchronization” (Atwater, 2011).
In any case, especially since long term therapy is not their objective, the binaural beating simply begins the begins the healing process. Further down in “the materials” Atwater (1988) adds an important comment, which is a big part of any Hemi-Sync® training package:
Passively listening to Hemi-Sync binaural beats may not automatically engender a focused state of consciousness. The Hemi-Sync process includes a number of components; binaural beats are only one element. We all maintain a psycho physiological momentum, a homeostasis that may resist the influence of the binaural beats. Practices such as humming, toning, breathing exercises, autogenic training, and/or biofeedback can be used to interrupt the homeostasis. (Tart, 1975, pp.72-73, cited in Atwater, 1988)
This position is contradicted by earlier studies that showed success using just binaural beats. The difference might be that subjects for Hemi-sync voyages have no clear therapeutic goals, thus no hypothesis to prove or disprove, and no null hypothesis. Most of the earlier studies did have clear therapeutic goals, because it was a time of testing what binaural beats could be used effectively for. Probably the most successful of these was done by Penniston and Kulkosky (1989). A significant number of alcoholics were assigned to either a group that received alpha-theta brainwave treatment (BWT)or conventional 12-step and medical treatment. A third control group with no medical problems received BWT and another group with no problems received no treatment. In the 12-month period following the study only 20% of the BTW group of alcoholics had relapsed as opposed to 80% of those treated with conventional methods. In addition, the non-alcoholic BWT group scored 20% lower on Beck’s anti-depressive measure than the no treatment group (Penniston and Kulkosky, 1989).
