‘Mozart effect’ in epilepsy: why Mozart tops Haydn

A new study confirms the ‘Mozart effect’ in epilepsy and provides evidence that the acoustic characteristics of music are responsible for suppressing brain epileptic activity. In this study, listening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos (K448) decreased epileptiform discharges (EDs), but listening to Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 caused an increase in EDs.

Music exposure is a potential therapy in neuropsychiatric diseases including epilepsy. The ‘Mozart effect’ in epilepsy has been the subject of numerous previous studies. It refers to the observation that listening to Mozart lowers the number of epileptic seizures and the frequency of abnormal brain activity in patients with epilepsy. Prof. Ivan Rektor (Masaryk University, Czech Republic) presented a study comparing the effects of listening to Mozart with listening to Haydn [1].

A total of 18 candidates for epilepsy surgery had intracerebral electrodes implanted in the temporal cortex. They listened to Mozart’s piano sonata and to Haydn’s ‘Surprise’ symphony. Musical features with respect to rhythm, melody, and harmony were analysed. “To our surprise, the effects of listening to Mozart and Haydn were significantly different,” Prof. Rektor said. “Listening to Mozart’s K448 led to a 32% decrease in EDs, but listening to Haydn’s No. 94 caused a 45% increase.” The acoustic features of music composition appear to have a different effect on men compared with women. Listening to Haydn’s music was associated with a suppression of EDs in women, but with an increase in men. The reduction in EDs was larger in the lateral temporal lobe, which participates in translating acoustic signals, rather than in the mesiotemporal limbic region, which plays an important role in the emotional response to music.

“The effects of listening to music on epilepsy cannot be explained by the effect of dopamine released by the reward system,” according to Prof. Rektor. “Our patients were not music connoisseurs and said they were emotionally indifferent to both pieces of music.” Since the acoustic characteristics of music seem to be responsible for suppressing brain epileptic activity, Prof. Rektor suggested the use of musical pieces with well-defined acoustic properties to reduce epileptic activity in epilepsy patients.

1. Rektor I, et al. The Mozart effect. Why is Mozart better than Haydn? EPR-145, EAN 2021 Virtual Congress, 19–22 June.

 

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Posted on 18 August, 202118 August, 2021