The Influence of Varying Sound Pitch on the Brain’s Electrical Activities of Young Nigerian Adults

There is a considerable interest in understanding the Brain’s electrical activity; at least to better the understanding of arousal and mental wakefulness in different conscious states, including in conditions like seizures. Electroencephalography is a technique for assessing Brain’s electrical function, and has been adapted for use in humans. Desynchronized waveforms occur frequently in humans during the sleep cycle, leading to a substantial alteration in serum levels of neuro-endocrine hormones for proper daily routines. In this study, we assessed the influence of pitch; a key ingredient in sounds on the electrical patterns of the brain of young Nigerian adults. Being a cross-sectional observation study, 400 healthy young Nigerians (16–35 years) from the students’ community of the Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State of Nigeria were exposed to varying pre-recorded sound pitches (30 Hz, 40 Hz, 50 Hz and 60 Hz) for 5 minutes each; haven determined their brainwave patterns [Alpha (α), Beta (β), delta (δ), Theta (θ) and Gamma (γ) rhythms] at rest (baseline) in a sound-proof studio, using the electroencephalogram (EEG). Statistical measures of association (correlation) was conducted, mean differences (ANOVA) computed with the graph pad prison (version 8.1), while adjudging p-value < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results suggest that lower frequency sounds (30Hz, 40 Hz) elicited α, or δ rhythms in relaxed cortical state, although insignificantly. ANOVA returned no significant change (p > 0.05) in brain activities compared to baseline. A weak negative correlation was observed (Pearson’s coefficient) between pitch and participants’ γ, θ and δ waveforms, even though this was insignificant (p > 0.05). Whereas, β and α activities returned strong and weak positive correlation respectively with increasing pitch administration. Thus, varying sound pitch increased brain’s electrical activities in exposed youths, although insignificantly.