Effects of different frequencies music on cortical responses and functional connectivity in patients with minimal conscious state

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate brain activation and functional network patterns during musical interventions in different frequency bands using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy, and to provide a basis for more effective music therapy strategy selection for patients in minimally conscious state (MCS). Twenty six MCS patients and 20 healthy people were given music intervention with low frequency (31–180 Hz), medium frequency (180–4k Hz), and high frequency (4k–22k Hz) audio. In MCS patients, low frequency music intervention induced activation of left prefrontal cortex and left primary sensory cortex (S1), also a left‐hemisphere lateralization effect of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). And the functional connectivity of right DLPFC‐right S1 was significantly improved by high frequency music intervention. The low frequency and high frequency music may contribute more than medium frequency music to the recovery of consciousness. This study also validated the effectiveness of fNIRS in studies of brain function in MCS patients.