Mozart Effect and Its Clinical Applications: A Review.

Recent research efforts examining the effects on the brain of listening to music have discovered that music, with specific characteristics, is able to improve cognitive and learning capacity. Recent studies have demonstrated that music, in particular some musical compositions (such as those of W. A. Mozart and J. S. Bach), has a notable role not only in cognitive disturbances, but also in the treatment of several syndromes and diseases, either by rehabilitating or by stimulating cerebral synaptic plasticity. The Mozart Effect was described for the first time in 1993. Subsequently, other studies with similar designs were made. This review summarizes the recent scientific literature on the Mozart Effect. More studies are needed, in order to define specific protocols in which music helps clinicians in recuperating patients and in improving their quality of life.

Improved automated perimetry performance in elderly subjects after listening to Mozart

PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of automated perimetry of elderly subjects naïve to AP after listening to a Mozart sonata. INTRODUCTION: Automated perimetry (AP) is a psychophysical test used to assess visual fields in patients with neurological disorders and glaucoma. In a previous study, Fiorelli et al. showed that young subjects who listened to a Mozart sonata prior to undergoing AP performed better in terms of reliability than those who did not listen to the sonata. METHODS: Fifty-two AP-naïve, normal subjects underwent Automated perimetry (SITA 24-2). The study group (25 subjects) underwent AP after listening to Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, and the control group (27 subjects) underwent Automated perimetry without prior exposure to the music. RESULTS: The study group had significantly lower false negative rates and a lower visual field reliability score than the controls (P=0.04 and P=0.04, respectively). The test time was shorter for the study group (P=0.03). DISCUSSION: This study shows that elderly subjects, when exposed to the Mozart sonata immediately before AP testing, have lower false negative rates and lower visual field reliability scores when compared with an age- and gender-matched control group. Our results differ from those of Fiorelli et al. who found lower false positive rates and less fixation loss in addition to lower false negative rates. CONCLUSION: Listening to a Mozart sonata seems to improve automated perimetry reliability in elderly subjects.

Efecto Mozart en el aprendizaje práctico de la anatomía / The Mozart effect in the practical learning of the gross anatomy

El término efecto Mozart comienza a utilizarse a partir de los trabajos de Rauscher et al. (1993), quienes observaron mejores resultados en tareas que requerían orientación temporo-espacial en estudiantes universitarios. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el efecto que tiene en el aprendizaje práctico de la anatomía la aplicación de estímulos musicales relacionados con el denominado efecto Mozart. Participaron 254 estudiantes de las carreras de Odontología, Fonoaudiología y Tecnología Médica. Los grupos de estudio fueron sometidos durante toda una Unidad temática a estimulación auditiva utilizando el primer movimiento de la Sonata para dos Pianos en D Mayor (K. 448) de Mozart, los grupos controles desarrollaron su actividad práctica sin estimulación auditiva, al finalizar la unidad se realizó una evaluación práctica de reconocimiento de estructuras en el cadáver. Las medias de los resultados obtenidos fueron superiores en los sujetos sometidos a estimulación auditiva, estos resultados fueron estadísticamente significativos en las carreras de Odontología y Fonoaudiología, pero no en Tecnología Médica.

The term Mozart effect begins to be used starting from the works of Rauscher et al. (1993) who observed better results in tasks that required temporo-space orientation in university students. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect that has in the practical learning of the anatomy the application of musical stimuli related with the denominated Mozart effect. This study involved 254 participants of the careers of Dentistry, Fonoaudiology and Medical Technology. The study groups were subjected during an entire thematic Unit to auditory stimulation using the first movement of the Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos K.448, the groups controls developed their practical activity without auditory stimulation, when concluding the unit they was carried out a practical evaluation of recognition of structures in the cadaver. The mean of the obtained results were superior in the subjected fellows to auditory stimulation, these results were statistically significant in the careers of Dentistry and Fonoaudiology, but not in Medical Technology.