Sound therapy may stimulate brain circuits to relieve pain and boost memory, U of T expert tells the Globe and Mail

From Alzheimer’s disease to fibromyalgia, symptoms of a variety of medical conditions could be relieved by exposing patients to specific sound frequencies, Professor Emeritus Lee Bartel of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music told the Globe and Mail.

Bartel, who has studied the effects of vibro-acoustic therapy – where patients are exposed to vibration-inducing sounds at a frequency of 40 Hz – said the procedure was associated with improvements in mood and cognitive ability.

The effects may be attributable to the ability of sound to “re-regulate” dormant neural circuits in the brain, Bartel told the Globe and Mail.

He noted that the low cost and easy administration of sound therapy could see it eventually gain popularity as a therapeutic option for various conditions.

“In the future, if we continue to see positive results, the medical community may start prescribing it," he said.

Read the story in the Globe and Mail