Vibroacoustics for Relaxation, Stress Reduction and Relief.

“Conclusions: Suitability of VA methods in therapeutic programmes for promoting relaxation, reducing stress and relieving symptoms of anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties has found confirmation in several studies. Research results have also shown that one or a couple of sessions of VA therapy could be applied to healthy people to reduce fatigue or stress of daily life.”

Source

Vibroacoustics in Diminishing Body Dissatisfaction

“In the present study vibroacoustic therapy was tried out in the case of body dissatisfaction, Vibroacoustic therapy promotes changes in the state of mood and comfort, which are important for bodily well-being. Vibroacoustic therapy can be used for reducing stress in a non clinical population and added to treatment programs, including interventions for diminishing body dissatisfaction.”

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByfSfYOMMG5XSVFRcU4wSS1veUU/edit

Effects of Vibroacoustics on Skin Blood Flow in the Arm

“Conclusions: Five minutes of 30 Hz or 50 Hz vibration produced significant increases in (skin blood flow) SBF. Clinically, 50 Hz has additional benefits because SBF increased more rapidly and did not result in vasoconstriction during the recovery period. Future studies should be done to determine if these increases in SBF could be of benefit to populations with low circulation such as those with diabetes.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18301353/

Effects of Vibroacoustics on Elderly Nursing Home Residents

“A significant improvement in sadness and depression as
assessed by the DMAS was shown in the 15 elderly NH residents (p<0.05) after 2 weeks of VAT. Overall, these findings suggest that VAT induced relaxation in the elderly NH residents with symptoms of depression." "These reports suggest that VAT has an effect similar to aerobic exercise through activation of the p38MAPK pathway." "Falempin et al. suggested that tendon vibration (120 Hz) applied to rat soleus muscle can be used as a strategy to counteract the atrophic process observed after hindlimb unloading" https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpts/24/3/24_291/_pdf

Neurophysical Responses to Vibroacoustics in Rett Syndrome

Abstract
People with Rett syndrome (RTT) have severe communicative difficulties. They have as well an immature brainstem that implies dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Music plays an important role in their life, is often used as a motivating tool in a variety of situations and activities, and caregivers are often clear about people with RTTs favourites.

The results showed that all participants responded to the musical stimuli, but not always in the expected way. It was noticeable that both people with and without RTT responded with an arousal to all musical stimuli to begin with. Even though the initial expressions sometimes changed after some time due to poor control functions of their brainstem, the present results are consistent with the possibility that the RTT participants’ normal responses to music are intact. These findings may explain why music is so important for individuals with RTT throughout life.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24691354/

Vibroacoustic Sound Improves Pain Management

“Vibroacoustic therapy is a new sound technology that uses audible sound vibrations to reduce symptoms, invoke relaxation, and alleviate stress. This technology is developed based on the recognition that external vibration can influence body function. Research demonstrates the effectiveness of vibroacoustic therapy. Implications for nurses include investigating the possibilities of vibroacoustic therapy in various nursing settings to promote patient well-being and improve the therapeutic environment.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15222599/

The Effects of Vibroacoustics on Clinical and Non-Clinical Populations

“In conclusion, VA therapy influences both psychological and physiological
processes. Music is received, processed and interpreted in the brain, and the
emotional and associating effect of music stimulates psychological processes. At
the same time, physical effects go alongside or are the result of psychological
activity, and music has an active effect on physical behaviour. These experiments
have not only identified further evidence of the way music affects us at a
psychological level, but has also measured physical response. Because VA therapy
is an intervention that presents a physical stimulus in the form of a pulsed sinusoidal low frequency tone, these studies have found some evidence of the effect of sound within this frequency range”

https://www.wfmt.info/Musictherapyworld/modules/archive/stuff/papers/Wigram.pdf

Vibroacoustics Induced Neurite Outgrowth

“Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the effects of very low-frequency whole body vibration (WBV) stimulation using PC12 m3 cells.

Methods: Mutant, drug-hypersensitive, PC12 m3 cells were obtained by means of continuous culture of neural PC12 cells and then stimulated by low-frequency vibration at frequencies of 7–13 Hz for 5–20 min with simultaneous exposure to nerve growth factor (NGF).

Results: The frequency of neurite outgrowth by PC12 m3 cells induced by 7-Hz vibratory stimulation was approximately 3-fold greater than that induced by NGF alone. Moreover, activated cyclic-AMP responsive element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) expression was induced in PC12 m3 cells stimulated by 7-Hz vibration.

Conclusion: Low-frequency vibratory stimulation induces neurite outgrowth via a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/CREB signaling pathway in PC12 m3 cells. Together, these results suggest that WBV is an efficient method to stimulate neurite growth.”

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/lowfrequency-whole-body-vibration-induced-neurite-outgrowth-by-pcm-cells-with-impaired-nerve-growth-factorinduced-neurite-outgrowth-2165-7025-249.php?aid=37262

Vibroacoustics for Depression

Conclusions High Amplitude Low Frequency–Music Impulse Stimulation treatment seems to give beneficial effect as an add‐on treatment for depression. HALF‐MIS appears to be a safe and effective add‐on treatment for depression.

Results
Eighteen patients were randomized to the add‐on treatment and 20 patients to the control group. Both groups show in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)‐17 and in HDRS‐6, although the HALF‐MIS group had a greater decline of symptoms. This was a significant difference in intergroup analysis (p = .011, CI 95% for the HALF‐MIS group 3.0588–8.5327 and CI 95% for the control group 0.2384–3.0). The (HDRS)‐6 difference was also significant (p = .020, CI 95% for the HALF‐MIS group 1.5911–5.0487 and for the control group −0.297 to 1.7058). No side effects were observed.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6790306/

Vibrotactile Stimulation Research with Children Who Have Cerebral Injury

“Therapeutic intervention was conducted once a week during 3 months. All subjects were stimulated with vibrotactile stimuli of 40Hz in duration of 20 minutes in order to reduce spasticity. After the ending of the treatment subjects underwent second assessment of motor performance and the classification of lower extremities functions. The results have shown that there was a significant improvement in motor performance, what has been seen in the facilitation of rotations, better postural trunk stability and head control and in greater selectivity of movements. ”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21648312/

Music Therapy for People with Autism

“The findings of this updated review provide evidence that music therapy may help children with ASD to improve their skills in primary outcome areas that constitute the core of the condition including social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behaviour, and social‐emotional reciprocity. Music therapy may also help to enhance non‐verbal communication skills within the therapy context. Furthermore, in secondary outcome areas, music therapy may contribute to increasing social adaptation skills in children with ASD and to promoting the quality of parent‐child relationships. ”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6956617/

Early Use of Vibroacoustic Subthalamic Stimulation in Parkinsons

“Conclusion: This case series demonstrates the clinical efficacy of utilizing low frequency (60 Hz) STN stimulation early in the DBS programming course in more advanced PD patients with levodopa responsive gait disturbance and freezing of gait. Activation of a broader stimulation field likely contributed to both axial and segmental symptom improvement while possibly aiding in the reduction of dyskinesia.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25833008/

Vibroacoustics and Fibromyalgia Clinical Study

CONCLUSION: In the present study, the LFSS treatment showed no adverse effects and patients receiving the LFSS treatment showed statistically and clinically relevant improvement. Further phase 2 and 3 trials are warranted.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of LFSS on FM.METHOD: The present open-label study with no control group used a repeated-measures design with no noncompleters. Nineteen female volunteers (median age 51 years; median duration of FM 5.76 years) were administered 10 treatments (twice per week for five weeks).

Treatments involved 23 min of LFSS at 40 Hz, delivered using transducers in a supine position.

Measures (repeated before and after treatment) included the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Jenkins Sleep Scale, Pain Disability Index, sitting and standing without pain (in minutes), cervical muscle range of motion and muscle tone. Mean percentages were calculated on end of treatment self-reports of improvement on pain, mood, insomnia and activities of daily living.

RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed with median scores: Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, 81% (P<0.0001); Jenkins Sleep Scale, 90% (P<0.0001); and Pain Disability Index, 49.1% (P<0.0001). Medication dose was reduced in 73.68% of patients and completely discontinued in 26.32%. Time sitting and standing without pain increased significantly (P<0.0001). Cervical muscle range of motion increased from 25% to 75% (P=0.001), while muscle tone changed from hypertonic to normal (P=0.0002)." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325896/

University of Toronto Researches Vibroacoustic Therapy

Professor Bartel of the Faculty of Music and his team in the Music and Health Research Collaboratory are exploring the medical effects of low frequency sound and have demonstrated it can play a key role in reducing the symptoms of Parkinsons Disease.

“Vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) consists of low sound frequencies that are transmitted to the body and mind through special transducers that convert the sound to inner body massage. MaHRC associates Heidi Ahonen and Quincy Almeida treated two groups of Parkinson’s patients (20 with dominant tremor symptoms and 20 with slow/rigid movement symptoms) with five minutes of 30 Hz vibration.”

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/good-vibrations-using-sound-treat-disease

What is Vibroacoustic Therapy?

“Vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) is a type of sound therapy that involves passing pure low frequency sine wave vibrations into the body via a device with embedded speakers.[1][2] This therapy was developed in Norway by Olav Skille in the 1980s.[3] The Food and Drug Administration has approved vibroacoustic therapy for increasing circulation, pain relief, and increasing mobility.[4] Vibroacoustic therapy is being evaluated to treat a number of conditions including fibromyalgia,[5] cerebral palsy[6] and Alzheimer’s Disease.[7]” Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibroacoustic_therapy

VibroAcoustics Improve Motor Skills for People with Parkinsons

“3. Results
3.1. UPDRS Motor Score at Baseline and Post PAT
The total UPDRS motor score was analysed in order to assess the general improvement of motor
symptoms in PD patients. Baseline values for both treatment and control groups did not differ
(p(b3) = 1). The treatment group started with a baseline UPDRS score of 22.9 ± 7.72, whereas the placebo
group started with a baseline score of 23.7 ± 9.62. Figure 3A shows an improvement in the motor
scores after the treatment period, with a significant main effect of time (F(1,34) = 26.21; p(b3) = 0.00001).
The power achieved from this analysis was 99.8% (partial e2 = 0.1522, total sample size = 36). Post-hoc
comparisons confirmed that the treatment group significantly improved (p(b3)<<0.001), whereas the control group did not improve between baseline and post-test (p(b3) = 0.16). A density histogram was then performed in order to gain more insight into the data. Figure 3B shows the number of participants in each group with a particular pre vs. post difference in UPDRS motor scores, expressed as a proportion of the total. The control group has a relatively symmetrical density that centers just above zero (mean difference = 3.4), whereas the treatment group is skewed more towards a positive difference (mean = 6.9). The treatment group also has a small peak with a negative difference, prompting a follow-up analysis of each individual participant (Figure 3C,D). Analysis of individuals from the Healthcare 2020, 8, 113 6 of 13 treatment group showed three (14.2%) individuals with worse outcomes and five (33.3%) individuals from the placebo group with worse outcomes."

Vibroacoustics Improve Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice

” LIV increased angiogenesis and granulation tissue formation at day 7, and accelerated wound closure and re-epithelialization over days 7 and 15. LIV also reduced neutrophil accumulation and increased macrophage accumulation. In addition, LIV increased expression of pro-healing growth factors and chemokines (insulin-like growth factor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor and monocyte chemotactic protein-1) in wounds. Despite no evidence of a change in the phenotype of CD11b+ macrophages in wounds, LIV resulted in trends towards a less inflammatory phenotype in the CD11b− cells. Our findings indicate that LIV may exert beneficial effects on wound healing by enhancing angiogenesis and granulation tissue formation, and these changes are associated with increases in pro-angiogenic growth factors.”

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0091355

Vibroacoustic Music and Autism Study

“The results revealed that vibroacoustic music reduced self-injurious, stereotypic, and aggressive destructive behaviors in the participants. In addition, the results indicated that the effect of vibroacoustic music was to some extent dependent on the participants’ diagnosis. Implications for vibroacoustic music theory and practice are discussed.”

Source

Vibroacoustics and Chronic Pain in Juvenile Arthritis

“Conclusions. Vibroacoustic therapy is a revolutionary tool in the fi eld of multidisciplinary management of chronic pain in JIA and triggered a noticeable diminution of the SDAI score, decreasing the disease activity from severe to moderate and the psycho-behavioral manifestations, with great statistically signifi cant difference to the witness group.”

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266009663_Effects_of_physical_and_vibroacoustic_therapy_in_chronic_pain_in_juvenile_arthritis