PARIS: Researchers say listening to Mozart can lead to a decrease in epileptiform discharges, the brain waves that can cause seizures.
A piece of music by Mozart can have an anti-epileptic effect on the brain and may be a possible treatment to prevent seizures, according to a new study.
Researchers at the Hospital St Anne and CEITEC Masaryk University in the Czech Republic found that listening to Mozart’s Sonata For Two Pianos K448 reduced epileptiform discharges (EDs) – the electrical brain waves associated with epilepsy and which can cause seizures.
The team compared the effects of listening to two classical pieces on epilepsy and on brain activity.
“To our surprise, there were significant differences between the effects of listening to Mozart’s K448 and Haydn’s No 94,” said Professor Ivan Rektor.
“Listening to Mozart led to a 32% decrease in EDs but listening to Haydn’s No 94 caused a 45% increase.
“Listening to Haydn’s music led to suppressed epileptiform discharges only in women; in the men, there was an increase of epileptiform discharges.
“We believe the physical ‘acoustic’ features of the Mozart music affect brain oscillations – or brain waves – which is responsible for reducing EDs.”
