Brain-Wave Music Enhances Inhibitory Control Performance by Modulating Oscillations in the Motor Cortex and Frontoparietal Network.

Abstract

Inhibitory control modulation represents an important goal in neuromodulation research, with increasing attention to natural approaches such as music. However, personalizing music-based interventions remains challenging. Brain-wave music (BWM) provides personalized auditory stimulation by matching the oscillatory activity of brain waves. In this study, we investigated whether BWM-synthesized from an individual's own neural oscillations-could effectively enhance inhibitory control. A total of 72 healthy participants participated in the inhibitory control function regulation experiment, with four types of musical stimuli used in the music intervention. The Go/Nogo task and electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were administered before and after the music intervention to assess changes in inhibitory control function. We showed that a brief exposure to such personalized music enhanced participants' performance on an inhibitory control task. In contrast, other forms of music intervention showed no significant effect. The intervention modulated theta oscillations in frontal and parietal brain regions, and these neural changes persisted beyond the stimulation period. Time-resolved tracking revealed that frontal attentional control regions guided the entrainment of motor-related areas. Furthermore, the alignment between the music and the individual's intrinsic neural patterns correlated with behavioral improvement. These outcomes support the potential of BWM as a personalized auditory tool for cognitive enhancement in applied and clinical settings.