BEIJING, Jan 18 — Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the therapeutic virtues of music in humans. Fewer, however, have examined its effects on animals. Now, research sheds light on the healing power of music on mice suffering from anxiety and depression symptoms.
In fact, these small rodents can suffer from a pathology comparable to human depression. The paths that lead a mouse and a human being to depression may be different, but the ailments they suffer from are comparable. That’s why a research team from the Minzu University of China set out to investigate whether these mammals, like us, are sensitive to the therapeutic effects of music.
To this end, the researchers conducted an experiment involving 36 male mice. The rodents were divided into several groups before being placed in various situations designed to induce a state of stress. Following this, the academics had them listen to music for an hour and a half. This experimental protocol was conducted over 28 days to determine whether or not listening to music had an impact on the well-being of the mice.
It turns out that the mice subjected to stress and played music showed fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than the others. Their behavior was similar to that of rodents in the control group, ie, those who had not been subjected to the slightest stress factor. “[Our study] seems to indicate that music can prevent mice from developing depression-like behaviors and that listening to music can render mice more active,” the researchers note.
The scientists also found that music seems to have a protective effect against oxidative stress and inflammation, two factors associated with various pathologies, including depression. “Listening to music prevented CUMS [chronic unpredictable mild stress]-induced oxidative stress in the serum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of mice. Moreover, the CUMS-induced inflammatory responses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice were prevented by listening to music,” the researchers explain in their paper, published in the journal Translational Therapy.
These findings open up new perspectives on the potential role of music in the treatment of anxiety and depression in humans, even if the study has methodological limitations. They also help provide a better understanding of these disorders, which currently affect 4 to 5 per cent of the world’s population, according to the WHO. — ETX Studio
