The Effect of Auditory Brain Stimulation on Cognitive Function Improvement: A Study on Working Memory and Cognitive Flexibility in Adults With Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Background and Aims Dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, is characterized by symptoms, such as memory impairment, language difficulties, behavioral changes, and challenges in performing daily activities. In the early stages, the disease leads to a decline in cognitive functions, especially working memory and cognitive flexibility. Given the impact of these two components on patients’ quality of life, non-invasive interventions, such as auditory stimulation, have gained attention as innovative approaches. Methods This study employed a quasi-experimental, one-group, pretest-posttest design. Fifteen patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (mean age: 60.93 years) were selected using purposive sampling. Auditory stimulation was delivered at 40 Hz using binaural beats generated via Gnaural software, version 1-0-20110606 over 30 one-hour sessions across three weeks. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Wisconsin card sorting test (for cognitive flexibility), Corsi block-tapping test (for visuospatial working memory), and digit span task (for verbal working memory). Results The within-group analysis showed a significant improvement in the participants’ performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (t(14)=2.64, P=0.019), and a substantial increase in the block design test (t(14)=5.55, P<0.001). However, the change in the Digit Span test was not statistically significant (t(14)=0.82, P=0.424). Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that auditory stimulation can serve as an effective non-invasive intervention for slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and improving patients’ quality of life. These results support the broader use of sensory-based interventions for treating cognitive impairments related to dementia.