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Solfeggio-frequency music exposure reverses cognitive and endocrine deficits evoked by a 24-h light exposure in adult zebrafish
Abstract
Music therapy has long been used as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve cognitive function and mood in humans. Mounting rodent evidence also supports beneficial impact of music exposure on animal cognitive performance. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important emerging aquatic animal model in translational biomedical and neuroscience research. Here, we evaluate the effects of intermittent (2-h or 6-h twice daily) and continuous (24-h) solfeggio-frequency music exposure on behavioral, cognitive and endocrine parameters in adult zebrafish whose circadian rhythm was disturbed by a 24-h light exposure. Overall, while a 24-h light exposure evokes overt cognitive deficits and elevates zebrafish whole-body cortisol levels, these effects were reversed by solfeggio-frequency music exposure for 2 or 6h twice daily, and by continuous 24-h exposure). Collectively, these findings suggest a positive modulation of cognitive and endocrine responses in adult zebrafish by environmental enrichment via the long-term exposure to music, and reinforces zebrafish as a robust, sensitive model organism for neurocognitive and neuroendocrine research.
... Although the adjective "solfeggio" for these frequencies is inaccurate from the point of view of musicology, nevertheless, under this definition they have been the object of scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals. A study published in 2018 (Akimoto et al. 2018) explored the potential stress-reducing effects of 528 Hz, one of the solfeggio frequencies, on the human endocrine 7 and autonomic nervous systems. This particular frequency has gained recent attention for its purported "healing" properties. ...
This study investigates the effects of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo by a long-term Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist practitioner on sound frequencies (A), brain activity (B), and microbial metabolism(C).A. Analysis of sound frequencies: Spectral analysis of chanting revealed peaks at 8 Hz and 116 Hz, corresponding to the first Schumann resonance and a frequency linked to chloride ion movements, respectively. Additionally, five peaks (417, 528, 639, 741, 852 Hz) corresponding to solfeggio frequencies were identified. These frequencies are known to exert a positive impact on the human endocrine and autonomous nervous systems; improve survival of human brain cells; decrease anxiety in rats; reverse cognitive and endocrine deficits in zebra fish; reduce total concentration of reactive oxidative species in brain tissue. B. Study of Brain activity: Brain activity changes were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Prefrontal cortex activity increased modestly during chanting compared to a pre-chanting baseline, but significantly increased afterwards. This suggests a shift towards focused attention during chanting and enhanced activity afterward. C. Effects on microbial metabolism: Probiotic cultures exposed to chanting, either directly or indirectly, showed increased metabolic activity. This suggests local and non-local effects, similar to previously reported phenomena. Importantly, this study clarifies that the spiritual practice of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism transcends mere neurophysiological explanations. While brain activity and other bodily processes may be correlated with the practice, the religious and spiritual experience of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyoencompasses a mystical dimension that, though not contradicting science, cannot be fully explained by scientific methods alone.
... An important aspect of music therapy interventions for chronic disorders, including neurological conditions, lies in its ability to beneficially affect circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle [61]. This is supported by a recent animal study which used zebrafish as a model system to assess the therapeutic effects of long-term music therapy on circadian disruption-induced cognitive and psychological impairments [62]. ...
Background
Music elicits multifactorial benefits in emotional, social, cognitive, and academic aspects of human life. Music is clinically proven to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mood and self-expression, particularly after traumatic events. Studies have also demonstrated that music promotes parasympathetic autonomic systems, suppresses hyperactivation of stress responses, and boosts immune functions. However, its ability to promote brain plasticity and signalling are only beginning to be realized. Moreover, its employment as a therapy for the treatment of specific aspects of other neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions and their comorbidities, is fast becoming an interesting field of research.
Objective
The aim of this review is to summarize some of the recent studies focused on evaluating the applications of music therapy. For this purpose, we have focused on disorders encompassing both temporal extremities of brain developmental stages, from developmental conditions of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to ageing-related pathologies of Parkinson's disease and dementias.
Results
The findings of the reviewed studies indicate potent utilities of music-based interventions in beneficially affecting multiple spheres of brain functions, such as sensorimotor, auditory, communication/language, psychological/emotional, behavioural, sleep and memory and cognitive attributes of patients diagnosed with diverse neuropathologies. Nevertheless, lack of standardized protocols for music provision as well as absence of information regarding key aspects, such as cultural and musical orientations of subjects and therapists'/caregivers' attitudes, have hindered the complete realization of music's therapeutic potential for neurological conditions. Further, while some studies have undertaken assessments of core neurophysiological mechanisms underlying music therapy, this information is largely lacking for most clinical studies.
Conclusion
While this is not an exhaustive review of literature, we do hope that it serves as a platform to promote future research for establishing music therapy as a relevant neurotherapeutic strategy.
... It has been demonstrated that these frequencies have a positive impact on the human endocrine and autonomous nervous system (Akimoto et al. 2018) and improve survival of human brain astrocytes in vitro (Babayi and Riazi 2017). It appears that the positive effects of these frequencies, however, are not limited to humans since it has been demonstrated that they decrease anxiety in rats (Babayi and Riazi 2019) and reverse cognitive and endocrine deficits in zebra fish (Dos Santos et al. 2023), thus indirectly confirming the hypothesis enunciated above that recitation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo acts not only on human cells. ...
Recent evidence obtained in murine atrial cardiomyocytes suggests that the behavior of tubulin, a constituent of microtubules, is influenced by audible sounds. In the present study, the sequence and the structure of murine and human tubulins were compared with those of human TMC1 (Transmembrane channel-like protein 1), a sound-sensitive protein that is responsible for forming the pore of mechanosensory transduction channels in the hair cells of the inner ear of vertebrates, and with those of bacterial FtsZ (Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z), a bacterial protein homologous to tubulin. The results show that mouse and human alpha-tubulin are 100% identical, whereas sequence homology of human TMC1 and human tubulin alpha 1A chain is scarce, with only 17.31% identity. A higher degree of similarity was observed in the presence of aromatic amino acids as well as in the propensity to form alpha-helices. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that the response of tubulin to audible sounds is mediated by the external alpha-helices as it occurs in TMC1. The sequence homology of human TMC1 and FtsZ from Lactobacillus johnsonii, is moderate with 23.40% identity, however higher than that between TMC1 and tubulin. The overall presence of aromatic amino acids in FtsZ is scarce, but helix propensity is significant. These results are discussed in the context of Orch OR, a theory that postulates that consciousness emerges from quantum computations occurring in microtubules of neurons via information processing mediated by aromatic amino acids of tubulin.
... It has been demonstrated that these frequencies have a positive impact on the human endocrine and autonomous nervous system (Akimoto et al. 2018) and improve survival of human brain astrocytes in vitro (Babayi and Riazi 2017). It appears that the positive effects of these frequencies, however, is not limited to humans since it has been demonstrated that they decrease anxiety in rats (Babayi and Riazi 2019) and reverse cognitive and endocrine deficits in zebra fish (Dos Santos et al. 2023), thus indirectly confirming the hypothesis enunciated above that recitation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo acts not only on human cells and systems. ...
Recent evidence obtained in murine atrial cardiomyocytes suggests that the behavior of tubulin, a constituent of microtubules, is influenced by audible sounds. In the present study, the sequence and the structure of murine and human tubulins were compared with those of human TMC1 (Transmembrane channel-like protein 1), a sound-sensitive protein that is responsible for forming the pore of mechanosensory transduction channels in the hair cells of the inner ear of vertebrates, and with those of bacterial FtsZ (Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z), a bacterial protein homologous to tubulin. The results show that mouse and human alpha-tubulin are 100% identical, whereas sequence homology of human TMC1 and human tubulin alpha 1A chain is scarce, with only 17.31% identity. A higher degree of similarity was observed in the presence of aromatic amino acids as well as in the propensity to form alpha-helices. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that the response of tubulin to audible sounds is mediated by the external alpha-helices as it occurs in TMC1. The sequence homology of human TMC1 and FtsZ from Lactobacillus johnsonii, is moderate with 23.40% identity, however higher than that between TMC1 and tubulin. The overall presence of aromatic amino acids in FtsZ is scarce, but helix propensity is significant. These results are discussed in the context of Orch OR, a theory that postulates that consciousness emerges from quantum computations occurring in microtubules of neurons via information processing mediated by aromatic amino acids of tubulin.
Sound healing, based on music therapy, explores the therapeutic potential of specific frequencies for anxiety. The Solfeggio frequency of 528 Hz has gained attention for its ability to resonate with the body's natural frequencies, promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and enhancing emotional well-being. This study explores the potential of pure 528 Hz sound to reduce state anxiety. 48 subjects were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which received a 3-minute exposure to 528 Hz music, or a control group, which completed a neutral reading task. State anxiety levels were measured using the STAI, pre and post intervention. Data analysis included paired-sample t-tests and a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. Results showed a significant drop in level of anxiety among experimental group (p = 0.022). Additionally, paired-sample t-tests confirmed a decrease in state anxiety scores within the experimental group (p = 0.006). These findings provide empirical evidence suggesting the anxiolytic properties of 528 Hz. This study offers preliminary evidence that 528 Hz sound exposure may effectively reduce state anxiety. Future research should elucidate the mechanisms and examine the effectiveness of this approach in broader contexts. This research contributes to the exploration of sound frequencies as a potential non-invasive intervention for anxiety management.
Music is important in everyday life, and music therapy can help treat a variety of health issues. Music listening is a technique used by music therapists in various clinical treatments. As a result, music therapists must have an intelligent system at their disposal to assist and support them in selecting the most appropriate music for each patient. Previous research has not thoroughly addressed the relationship between music features and their effects on patients. The current paper focuses on identifying and predicting whether music has therapeutic benefits. A machine learning model is developed, using a multi-class neural network to classify emotions into four categories and then predict the output. The neural network developed has three layers: (i) an input layer with multiple features; (ii) a deep connected hidden layer; (iii) an output layer. K-Fold Cross Validation was used to assess the estimator. The experiment aims to create a machine-learning model that can predict whether a specific song has therapeutic effects on a specific person. The model considers a person’s musical and emotional characteristics but is also trained to consider solfeggio frequencies. During the training phase, a subset of the Million Dataset is used. The user selects their favorite type of music and their current mood to allow the model to make a prediction. If the selected song is inappropriate, the application, using Machine Learning, recommends another type of music that may be useful for that specific user. An ongoing study is underway to validate the Machine Learning model. The developed system has been tested on many individuals. Because it achieved very good performance indicators, the proposed solution can be used by music therapists or even patients to select the appropriate song for their treatment.
This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing digital software in music education to improve academic performance and solfeggio class attendance. To assess academic performance, a test consisting of 25 theoretical questions and 25 practical tasks was developed. The Bologna model was used as an assessment system. The groups were compared by calculating the Student’s t-test in terms of the “Test Score” and “Missed Classes” parameters. The collected data revealed that the mean score for the experimental group was 87.50 out of 100, while in the control group, it was much lower, namely 65.37. Likewise, the control group was characterized by satisfactory (D) performance in mastering solfeggio, with the mean score ranging between 64 and 73, whereas experimental group participants had an average of 82–89. The statistical data processing results showed that the six-month use of the ChordIQ app contributed to more effective mastering of solfeggio by amateur musicians. At the same time, the difference between the groups turned out to be significant in both cases, so the research hypothesis was confirmed for both of them (p < 0.05). Overall, the results showed that ChordIQ is a useful mobile app teaching the user music in an exciting and interactive way. The findings collected can be used to update traditional solfeggio curricula, conduct scientific studies in the field of interactive music education, as well as create new dedicated software.
Culture is a powerful spiritual force rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people and guides the direction of the Chinese people. Sight singing and ear training are playing an increasingly important role as an important means of music teaching. The article is aimed at studying the latest application progress of music reading skills in audiovisual ear training in the new media environment. This paper proposes the interactive application of music reading skills that integrate new media to realize the interactive communication between man and machine. The experimental results of this paper show that new media can make greater use of the advantages of music reading skills, enhance students’ musical sensitivity by 20%, and realize musical interaction.
Music therapy (MT) and other rhythmic-based interventions for the treatment of neurodegeneration (ND) have been successful in improving the quality of life of affected individuals. Music therapy and rhythm-based stimuli affect patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) respectively not only through cognitive channels and subjective qualifications but also through altered brain structures and neural systems. Often implicated in the pathogenesis and resulting symptoms of these diseases is the role of aberrant circadian rhythmicity (CR), namely disrupted sleep. Recent literature suggests that proper maintenance of this timekeeping framework may be beneficial for patients with neurodegenerative disorders and serve a neuroprotective role. While music therapy can improve the quality of life for neurodegenerative patients, longitudinal studies analyzing sleep patterns of affected individuals and possible mechanisms of intervention remain sparse. Furthermore, the role of music therapy in the context of circadian rhythmicity has not been adequately explored. By analyzing the links between circadian rhythmicity, neurodegeneration, and music therapy, a more comprehensive picture emerges, suggesting that possible uses of non-pharmacological circadian-based music therapy to target mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease may enhance clinical treatment and potentially indicate neuroprotection as a preventative measure.
Background:
Music therapy has been widely used clinically to relieve insomnia disorder patients. However, the efficacy of music therapy in the treatment of insomnia disorder patients is uncertain. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of music therapy in the treatment of insomnia disorder patients.
Methods:
Search PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, and search-related randomized controlled trials. Two reviewers will independently select studies, collect data, and evaluate methodological quality through the Cochrane Deviation Risk Tool. Revman V.5.3 will be used for meta-analysis.
Results:
This study will evaluate the current status of music therapy treatment for insomnia disorder patients, aiming to illustrate the effectiveness and safety of music therapy treatment.
Conclusion:
This study will provide a basis for judging whether music therapy is effective in treating insomnia disorder patients.
Inplasy registration number:
INPLASY202150087.
Objectives:
Poor sleep quality is a common issue among older adults; it can lead to a poor quality of life and impairments in cognitive function and physical health. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of listening to music on sleep quality in older adults.
Design:
Systematic review and meta-analyses.
Setting:
Five databases, including Embase, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and the Index to Taiwan Periodical Literature System, were searched to identify studies assessing the efficacy of music therapy in older adults aged 60 years and older published through February 20, 2021.
Participants:
Adults aged 60 years and older.
Measurements:
We searched English- and Chinese-language studies of randomized control trials. All studies were reviewed by two independent investigators. The primary sleep outcome was the Pittsburgh sleep quality index. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and Review Manager 5.3 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis.
Results:
Five randomized control trials were included in the meta-analysis. Older adults who listened to music experienced significantly better sleep quality than those who did not listen to music [mean difference (MD): -1.96, 95% CI -2.23 to -1.73, P = 0.003]. The subgroup analysis revealed that older adults who listened to sedative music obtained a more effective improvement in sleep quality than those who listened to rhythm-centered music (MD: -2.35, 95% CI -3.59 to -1.10, P = 0.0002). Furthermore, listening to music for longer than 4 weeks (MD: -2.61, 95% CI -4.72 to -0.50, P = 0.02) was to be effective at improving sleep quality.
Conclusions:
Music therapy is safe and easy to administer and can effectively improve sleep quality among older adults, particularly those listening to more sedative music for at least a four-week duration.
Reproducible science requires transparent reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) were originally developed in 2010 to improve the reporting of animal research. They consist of a checklist of information to include in publications describing in vivo experiments to enable others to scrutinise the work adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour, and reproduce the methods and results. Despite considerable levels of endorsement by funders and journals over the years, adherence to the guidelines has been inconsistent, and the anticipated improvements in the quality of reporting in animal research publications have not been achieved. Here, we introduce ARRIVE 2.0. The guidelines have been updated and information reorganised to facilitate their use in practice. We used a Delphi exercise to prioritise and divide the items of the guidelines into 2 sets, the “ARRIVE Essential 10,” which constitutes the minimum requirement, and the “Recommended Set,” which describes the research context. This division facilitates improved reporting of animal research by supporting a stepwise approach to implementation. This helps journal editors and reviewers verify that the most important items are being reported in manuscripts. We have also developed the accompanying Explanation and Elaboration (E&E) document, which serves (1) to explain the rationale behind each item in the guidelines, (2) to clarify key concepts, and (3) to provide illustrative examples. We aim, through these changes, to help ensure that researchers, reviewers, and journal editors are better equipped to improve the rigour and transparency of the scientific process and thus reproducibility.
Reproducible science requires transparent reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) were originally developed in 2010 to improve the reporting of animal research. They consist of a checklist of information to include in publications describing in vivo experiments to enable others to scrutinise the work adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour, and reproduce the methods and results. Despite considerable levels of endorsement by funders and journals over the years, adherence to the guidelines has been inconsistent, and the anticipated improvements in the quality of reporting in animal research publications have not been achieved. Here, we introduce ARRIVE 2.0. The guidelines have been updated and information reorganised to facilitate their use in practice. We used a Delphi exercise to prioritise and divide the items of the guidelines into 2 sets, the “ARRIVE Essential 10,” which constitutes the minimum requirement, and the “Recommended Set,” which describes the research context. This division facilitates improved reporting of animal research by supporting a stepwise approach to implementation. This helps journal editors and reviewers verify that the most important items are being reported in manuscripts. We have also developed the accompanying Explanation and Elaboration document, which serves (1) to explain the rationale behind each item in the guidelines, (2) to clarify key concepts, and (3) to provide illustrative examples. We aim, through these changes, to help ensure that researchers, reviewers, and journal editors are better equipped to improve the rigour and transparency of the scientific process and thus reproducibility.
Reproducible science requires transparent reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) were originally developed in 2010 to improve the reporting of animal research. They consist of a checklist of information to include in publications describing in vivo experiments to enable others to scrutinise the work adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour, and reproduce the methods and results. Despite considerable levels of endorsement by funders and journals over the years, adherence to the guidelines has been inconsistent, and the anticipated improvements in the quality of reporting in animal research publications have not been achieved. Here, we introduce ARRIVE 2.0. The guidelines have been updated and information reorganised to facilitate their use in practice. We used a Delphi exercise to prioritise and divide the items of the guidelines into 2 sets, the “ARRIVE Essential 10,” which constitutes the minimum requirement, and the “Recommended Set,” which describes the research context. This division facilitates improved reporting of animal research by supporting a stepwise approach to implementation. This helps journal editors and reviewers verify that the most important items are being reported in manuscripts. We have also developed the accompanying Explanation and Elaboration document, which serves (1) to explain the rationale behind each item in the guidelines, (2) to clarify key concepts, and (3) to provide illustrative examples. We aim, through these changes, to help ensure that researchers, reviewers, and journal editors are better equipped to improve the rigour and transparency of the scientific process and thus reproducibility.
Sleep deficiency is linked to chronic health problems, such as heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Healthcare practitioners are increasingly paying close attention to sleep and its impact on health and wellness as a measure of critical vitality. Sleep’s impact on neurologic function, and cognitive endurance affect capacity throughout the lifespan. This article will address recent findings related to the potential of music to induce sleep in illness and wellness. Music therapy research findings and its efficacy as a potent cost-effective intervention will be highlighted.
Context:
One of the important functions of nurses is to prepare a relaxing environment for patients, for whom they look after and fulfill sleep needs. Today, music therapy, one of nonpharmacological treatment approaches, can be used for enhancing the sleep quality of individuals. The increase of individuals' sleep quality by using music therapy will enable nurses to intervene in problems associated with sleep disorders and prevent insomnia and other relevant problems.
Objective:
This study was conducted to determine the effect of music therapy on sleep quality of the students.
Design:
The research was an experimental pretest-posttest control group design.
Setting:
The research was conducted among the students studying in the nursing department at a university in the east of Turkey in the spring term of the academic year of 2015-2016.
Participant:
Students who (1) got a total score of 5 and higher according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), (2) had no neurological/psychiatric disorder, (3) had no hearing problem, (4) received no medical treatment regarding sleep, and (5) volunteered to participate in the study were included in the study. The students who were included in the study were divided into experimental and control groups.
Invention:
Students in the experimental group were instructed to keep the volume of the personal MP3 player to be used for listening to the music therapy below 70% and to use it for 1 h/d at most. No intervention was applied to students in the control group. They were asked to sustain their normal sleeping habits.
Outcome measure:
To collect the data, a questionnaire prepared by the researchers for determining sociodemographic characteristics of the students and PSQI were used.
Results:
As a result of the study, it was found that the posttest PSQI mean scores of students in the experimental group, listening to music therapy, were lower than the mean scores of the students in the control group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant.
Conclusions:
As a result of this study, it was determined that music therapy increased the sleep quality of students. Being one of the nonpharmacological treatment approaches intended for solving sleep problems, music therapy is a pain-free, safe, and affordable treatment method without any side effect that could be used in every area of health.
The aging population is growing rapidly. Proposing interventions that enhance the cognitive functions or strategies that delay the onset of disabilities associated with age is a topic of capital interest for the biopsychosocial health of our species. In this work, we employed musical improvisation as a focal environmental activity to explore its ability to improve memory in older adults. We present two studies: the first one evaluated neutral memory using the Rey Complex Figure (RCF) and the second one evaluated emotional memory using International Affective Picture System (IAPS). A group of 132 volunteers, between the ages of 60 and 90, participated in this investigation. Fifty-one of them were musicians with more than 5 years of formal musical training. After acquisition of neutral (Study 1) or emotional (Study 2) information, the groups of older adults were exposed to music improvisation (experimental intervention) or music imitation (control intervention) for 3 min. We then evaluated memory through two tasks (free recall and recognition), by means of immediate and deferred measures (after a week). We found a significant improvement in memory among participants involved in music improvisation, who remembered more items of the RCF and images from IAPS than the imitation group, both in the immediate and deferred evaluation. On the other hand, participants who had musical knowledge had a better performance in neutral visual memory than non-musicians. Our results suggest that a focal musical activity can be a useful intervention in older adults to promote an enhancement in memory.
Music interventions have been widely adopted as a potential non-pharmacological therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to treat cognitive and/or behavioral symptoms of the disease. In spite of the prevalence of such therapies, evidence for their effectiveness report mixed results in the literature. The purpose of this narrative review is to investigate the effectiveness of various intervention strategies (music therapy vs. music listening techniques) and music type used in the intervention (individualized vs. non-individualized music) on cognitive and behavioral outcomes for persons with AD. Databases were searched for studies using either active music therapy or music listening techniques over the last 10 years. These studies were in English, included persons with AD dementia, and whose protocol gathered pre- and post-intervention outcome measures. We initially identified 206 papers which were then reduced to 167 after removing duplicates. Further review yielded 13 papers which were extensively reviewed, resulting in a final sample of six papers. Our analysis of these papers suggested that, regardless of the music intervention approach, individualized music regimens provided the best outcomes for the patient. Furthermore, music listening may act as a relaxation technique and therefore provide a long-term impact for the patient, while active music therapy may acts to engage participants through social interaction and provide acute benefits. Our findings suggest that music techniques can be utilized in various ways to improve behavior and cognition.
Background: There is rapidly emerging interest in music interventions in healthcare. Music interventions are widely applicable, inexpensive, without side effects, and easy to use. It is not precisely known how they exert positive effects on health outcomes. Experimental studies in animal models might reveal more about the pathophysiological mechanisms of music interventions.
Methods: We performed a systematic review of experimental research in rodents. The electronic databases EMBASE, Medline(ovidSP), Web-Of-Science, PsycINFO, Cinahl, PubMed publisher, Cochrane, and Google scholar were searched for publications between January 1st 1960 and April 22nd 2017. Eligible were English–written, full-text publications on experimental research in rodents comparing music vs. a control situation. Outcomes were categorized in four domains: brain structure and neuro-chemistry; behavior; immunology; and physiology. Additionally, an overview was generated representing the effects of various types of music on outcomes. Bias in studies was assessed with the SYRCLE Risk of Bias tool. A meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneous outcomes and lack of original outcome data.
Results: Forty-two studies were included. Music-exposed rodents showed statistically significant increases in neuro-chemistry, such as higher BDNF levels, as well as an enhanced propensity for neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Furthermore, music exposure was linked with statistically significantly improved spatial and auditory learning, reduced anxiety-related behavior, and increased immune responses. Various statistically significant changes occurred in physiological parameters such as blood pressure and (para)sympathetic nerve activity following music interventions. The majority of studies investigated classical music interventions, but other types of music exerted positive effects on outcomes as well. The SYRCLE risk of bias assessment revealed unclear risk of bias in all studies.
Conclusions: Music interventions seem to improve brain structure and neuro-chemistry; behavior; immunology; and physiology in rodents. Further research is necessary to explore and optimize the effect of music interventions, and to evaluate its effects in humans.
Abstract Short-term effects of music stimulus on enhancement of cognitive functions in human brain are documented, however the underlying neural mechanisms in these cognitive effects are not well investigated. In this study, we have attempted to decipher the mechanisms involved in alterations of neural networks that lead to enhanced cognitive effects post-exposure to music. We have investigated the changes in Electroencephalography (EEG) power and functional connectivity of alpha band in resting state of the brain after exposure to Indian classical music. We have quantified the changes in functional connectivity by phase coherence, phase delay, and phase slope index analyses. Spatial mapping of functional connectivity dynamics thus obtained, on brain networks revealed reduced information flow in long-distance connections between frontal and parietal cortex, and between other cortical regions underpinning intelligence. Analyses also showed increased power in the prefrontal and occipital cortex. With these findings, we have developed a stimulus-mechanism-end effect based neuro-cognitive model that explains the music induced cognitive enhancement by a three-channel framework - (1) enhanced global efficiency of brain, (2) enhanced local neural efficiency at the prefrontal lobe, and (3) increased sustained attention. Results signify that music directly affects the cognitive system and leads to improved brain efficiency through well-defined mechanisms.
Environmental enrichment is widely used to improve welfare and behavioral performance of animal species. It ensures housing of laboratory animals in environments with space and complexity that enable the expression of their normal behavioral repertoire. Auditory enrichment by exposure to classical music decreases abnormal behaviors and endocrine stress responses in humans, non-humans primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the role of auditory enrichment in laboratory zebrafish. Given the growing importance of zebrafish for neuroscience research, such studies become critical. To examine whether auditory enrichment by classical music can affect fish behavior and physiology, we exposed adult zebrafish to 2 h of Vivaldi’s music (65–75 dB) twice daily, for 15 days. Overall, zebrafish exposed to such auditory stimuli were less anxious in the novel tank test and less active, calmer in the light-dark test, also affecting zebrafish physiological (immune) biomarkers, decreasing peripheral levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing the activity of some CNS genes, without overt effects on whole-body cortisol levels. In summary, we report that twice-daily exposure to continuous musical sounds may provide benefits over the ongoing 50–55 dB background noise of equipment in the laboratory setting. Overall, our results support utilizing auditory enrichment in laboratory zebrafish to reduce stress and improve welfare in this experimental aquatic organism.
A total of forty, 7-week-old male rats were exposed to the 'rodentized' version (twice as fast as and one octave higher than the original) of Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major for ten minutes a day for 10 weeks. One group (10 rats) received the musical stimuli before ('B'), another during ('D') and the third before and during ('BD') the memory test, while the ten control ('C') animals were kept in silence. The animals' spatial learning and memory ability was tested in an 8-arm radial maze. Rats exposed to the music showed a significant (7.1%) improvement in task acquisition (Group BD), but it did not practically change in Group D and worsened by 10.5% in Group B. The 2-h working memory significantly improved by 12.1% (BD) while practically did not change in Groups B and D. The reference memory improved by 11.9% in Group BD, but did not change in Group B and D, compared to the Control. The performance of the groups during the 4-h working memory test did not differ significantly. During the long-term test period the spatial memory performance of the music-exposed rats did not show significant differences compared to the Control (Table 1). At the same time, most results obtained in the long-term period were better than the corresponding short-term data. In conclusion, this particular piece of music, falling within the rats' hearing range, was suitable for improving hippocampus-dependent spatial learning capacity, but only if the animals were exposed to it not only before but also during the task.
There is widespread concern about the quality, reproducibility and translatability of studies involving research animals. Although there are a number of reporting guidelines available, there is very little overarching guidance on how to plan animal experiments, despite the fact that this is the logical place to start ensuring quality. In this paper we present the PREPARE guidelines: Planning Research and Experimental Procedures on Animals: Recommendations for Excellence. PREPARE covers the three broad areas which determine the quality of the preparation for animal studies: formulation, dialogue between scientists and the animal facility, and quality control of the various components in the study. Some topics overlap and the PREPARE checklist should be adapted to suit specific needs, for example in field research. Advice on use of the checklist is available on the Norecopa website, with links to guidelines for animal research and testing, at https://norecopa.no/PREPARE.
The zebrafish is an ideal vertebrate model for neurobehavioral studies with translational relevance to humans. Many aspects of sleep have been studied, but we still do not understand how and why sleep deprivation alters behavioral and physiological processes. A number of hypotheses suggest its role in memory consolidation. In this respect, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of sleep deprivation on memory in zebrafish (Danio rerio), using an object discrimination paradigm. Four treatments were tested: control, partial sleep deprivation, total sleep deprivation by light pulses, and total sleep deprivation by extended light. The control group explored the new object more than the known object, indicating clear discrimination. The partially sleep-deprived group explored the new object more than the other object in the discrimination phase, suggesting a certain degree of discriminative performance. By contrast, both total sleep deprivation groups equally explored all objects, regardless of their novelty. It seems that only one night of sleep deprivation is enough to affect discriminative response in zebrafish, indicating its negative impact on cognitive processes. We suggest that this study could be a useful screening tool for cognitive dysfunction and a better understanding of the effect of sleep-wake cycles on cognition.
The phenomenal finding that listening to Mozart K.448 enhances performance on spatial tasks has motivated a continuous surge in promoting music education over the past two decades. But there have been inconsistent reports in previous studies of the Mozart effect. Here conducted was a systematic study, with Mozart and retrograde Mozart music, Mozart music rhythm and pitch, behaviours and neurobiology tests, rats and humans subjects. We show that while the Mozart K.448 has positive cognitive effects, the retrograde version has a negative effect on rats’ performance in the Morris water maze test and on human subjects’ performance in the paper folding and cutting test and the pencil-and-paper maze test. Such findings are further confirmed by subsequent immunohistochemical analyses in rats on the neurogenesis and protein levels of BDNF and its receptor, TrkB. Furthermore, when the rhythm and pitch of the normal and retrograde Mozart music are manipulated independently, the learning performance of the rats in the Morris water maze test indicated that rhythm is a crucial element in producing the behavioural effects. These findings suggest that the nature of Mozart effect is the Mozart rhythm effect, and indicate that different music may have quite different to opposite effects. Further study on rhythm effect may provide clues to understand the common basis over animals from rats to humans.
Background/aims:
To investigate the effect of singing training on the cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.
Methods:
Ten AD patients (mean age 78.1 years) participated in music therapy using singing training once a week for 6 months (music therapy group). Each session was performed with professional musicians using karaoke and a unique voice training method (the YUBA Method). Before and after the intervention period, each patient was assessed by neuropsychological batteries, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed while the patients sang familiar songs with a karaoke device. As the control group, another 10 AD patients were recruited (mean age 77.0 years), and neuropsychological assessments were performed twice with an interval of 6 months.
Results:
In the music therapy group, the time for completion of the Japanese Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices was significantly reduced (p = 0.026), and the results obtained from interviewing the patients' caregivers revealed a significant decrease in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory score (p = 0.042) and a prolongation of the patients' sleep time (p = 0.039). The fMRI study revealed increased activity in the right angular gyrus and the left lingual gyrus in the before-minus-after subtraction analysis of the music therapy intervention.
Conclusion:
Music therapy intervention using singing training may be useful for dementia patients by improving the neural efficacy of cognitive processing.
The presence of pharmaceutical products in the aquatic environment has been reported in several studies. However, the impact of these drugs on living organisms is still uncharacterized. Here, we investigated the effects of acute exposure to either diazepam or fluoxetine on the stress response in Danio rerio. We showed that diazepam and fluoxetine inhibited the stress axis in zebrafish. Intermediate concentrations of diazepam suppressed the stress response as measured by cortisol levels, whereas fluoxetine inhibited cortisol increase at concentrations similar to those found in the environment. These data suggest that the presence of psychoactive drugs in aquatic ecosystems could cause neuroendocrine dysfunction in fish.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is emerging as a new important species for studying mechanisms of brain function and dysfunction. Focusing on selected central nervous system (CNS) disorders (brain cancer, epilepsy, and anxiety) and using them as examples, we discuss the value of zebrafish models in translational neuroscience. We further evaluate the contribution of zebrafish to neuroimaging, circuit level, and drug discovery research. Outlining the role of zebrafish in modeling a wide range of human brain disorders, we also summarize recent applications and existing challenges in this field. Finally, we emphasize the potential of zebrafish models in behavioral phenomics and high-throughput genetic/small molecule screening, which is critical for CNS drug discovery and identifying novel candidate genes.
Musical training has recently gained additional interest in education as increasing neuroscientific research demonstrates its positive effects on brain development. Neuroimaging revealed plastic changes in the brains of adult musicians but it is still unclear to what extent they are the product of intensive music training rather than of other factors, such as preexisting biological markers of musicality. In this review, we synthesize a large body of studies demonstrating that benefits of musical training extend beyond the skills it directly aims to train and last well into adulthood. For example, children who undergo musical training have better verbal memory, second language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability and executive functions. Learning to play an instrument as a child may even predict academic performance and IQ in young adulthood. The degree of observed structural and functional adaptation in the brain correlates with intensity and duration of practice. Importantly, the effects on cognitive development depend on the timing of musical initiation due to sensitive periods during development, as well as on several other modulating variables. Notably, we point to motivation, reward and social context of musical education, which are important yet neglected factors affecting the long-term benefits of musical training. Further, we introduce the notion of rhythmic entrainment and suggest that it may represent a mechanism supporting learning and development of executive functions. It also hones temporal processing and orienting of attention in time that may underlie enhancements observed in reading and verbal memory. We conclude that musical training uniquely engenders near and far transfer effects, preparing a foundation for a range of skills, and thus fostering cognitive development.
The clever choice of animal models has been instrumental for many breakthrough discoveries in life sciences. One of the outstanding challenges in neuroscience is the in-depth analysis of neuronal circuits to understand how interactions between large numbers of neurons give rise to the computational power of the brain. A promising model organism to address this challenge is the zebrafish, not only because it is cheap, transparent and accessible to sophisticated genetic manipulations but also because it offers unique advantages for quantitative analyses of circuit structure and function. One of the most important advantages of zebrafish is its small brain size, both at larval and adult stages. Small brains enable exhaustive measurements of neuronal activity patterns by optical imaging and facilitate large-scale reconstructions of wiring diagrams by electron microscopic approaches. Such information is important, and probably essential, to obtain mechanistic insights into neuronal computations underlying higher brain functions and dysfunctions. This review provides a brief overview over current methods and motivations for dense reconstructions of neuronal activity and connectivity patterns. It then discusses selective advantages of zebrafish and provides examples how these advantages are exploited to study neuronal computations in the olfactory bulb.
Zebrafish have become a popular organism for the study of vertebrate gene function. The virtually transparent embryos of this species, and the ability to accelerate genetic studies by gene knockdown or overexpression, have led to the widespread use of zebrafish in the detailed investigation of vertebrate gene function and increasingly, the study of human genetic disease. However, for effective modelling of human genetic disease it is important to understand the extent to which zebrafish genes and gene structures are related to orthologous human genes. To examine this, we generated a high-quality sequence assembly of the zebrafish genome, made up of an overlapping set of completely sequenced large-insert clones that were ordered and oriented using a high-resolution high-density meiotic map. Detailed automatic and manual annotation provides evidence of more than 26,000 protein-coding genes, the largest gene set of any vertebrate so far sequenced. Comparison to the human reference genome shows that approximately 70% of human genes have at least one obvious zebrafish orthologue. In addition, the high quality of this genome assembly provides a clearer understanding of key genomic features such as a unique repeat content, a scarcity of pseudogenes, an enrichment of zebrafish-specific genes on chromosome 4 and chromosomal regions that influence sex determination.
Background: This study explores effects of instrumental music on the hormonal system (as indicated by serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone), the immune system (as indicated by immunoglobulin A) and sedative drug requirements during surgery (elective total hip joint replacement under spinal anesthesia with light sedation). This is the first study investigating this issue with a double-blind design using instrumental music. Methodology/Principal Findings: Patients (n = 40) were randomly assigned either to a music group (listening to instrumental music), or to a control group (listening to a non-musical placebo stimulus). Both groups listened to the auditory stimulus about 2 h before, and during the entire intra-operative period (during the intra-operative light sedation, subjects were able to respond lethargically to verbal commands). Results indicate that, during surgery, patients of the music group had a lower propofol consumption, and lower cortisol levels, compared to the control group. Conclusion/Significance: Our data show that listening to music during surgery under regional anesthesia has effects on cortisol levels (reflecting stress-reducing effects) and reduces sedative requirements to reach light sedation.
The goal of the present study was to determine whether relaxing music (as compared to silence) might facilitate recovery from a psychologically stressful task. To this aim, changes in salivary cortisol levels were regularly monitored in 24 students before and after the Trier Social Stress Test. The data show that in the presence of music, the salivary cortisol level ceased to increase after the stressor, whereas in silence it continued to increase for 30 minutes.
This randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate, first, whether intra- or postoperative music therapy could influence stress and immune response during and after general anaesthesia and second, if there was a different response between patients exposed to music intra- or postoperatively.
Seventy-five patients undergoing open hernia repair as day care surgery were randomly allocated to three groups: intraoperative music, postoperative music and silence (control group). Anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia were standardized and the same surgeon performed all the operations. Stress response was assessed during and after surgery by determining the plasma cortisol and blood glucose levels. Immune function was evaluated by studying immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels. Patients' postoperative pain, anxiety, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation were also studied as stress markers.
There was a significantly greater decrease in the level of cortisol in the postoperative music group vs. the control group (206 and 72 mmol L(-1) decreases, respectively) after 2 h in the post anaesthesia care unit. The postoperative music group had less anxiety and pain and required less morphine after 1 h compared with the control group. In the postoperative music group the total requirement of morphine was significantly lower than in the control group. The intraoperative music group reported less pain after 1 h in the post anaesthesia care unit. There was no difference in IgA, blood glucose, BP, HR and oxygen saturation between the groups.
This study suggests that intraoperative music may decrease postoperative pain, and that postoperative music therapy may reduce anxiety, pain and morphine consumption.
The enhancing effect of music on autobiographical memory recall in mild Alzheimer's disease individuals (n = 10; Mini-Mental State Examination score >17/30) and healthy elderly matched individuals (n = 10; Mini-Mental State Examination score 25-30) was investigated. Using a repeated-measures design, each participant was seen on two occasions: once in music condition (Vivaldi's 'Spring' movement from 'The Four Seasons') and once in silence condition, with order counterbalanced. Considerable improvement was found for Alzheimer individuals' recall on the Autobiographical Memory Interview in the music condition, with an interaction for condition by group (p < 0.005). There were no differences in terms of overall arousal using galvanic skin response recordings or attentional errors during the Sustained Attention to Response Task. A significant reduction in state anxiety was found on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory in the music condition (p < 0.001), suggesting anxiety reduction as a potential mechanism underlying the enhancing effect of music on autobiographical memory recall.
Background
Older men with the worse alignment of activity and light may have lower levels of cognition and increased rates of cognitive decline.
Methods
This cohort consisted of 1 036 older men (81.1 ± 4.6 years) from the MrOS Sleep Study (2009–2012). Light and activity levels were gathered by wrist actigraphy. Phasor analysis was used to quantify the alignment of light–dark and rest-activity patterns (magnitude) and their temporal relationship (angle). Global cognitive function (Modified Mini-Mental State examination [3MS]) and executive function (Trails B test) were measured, then repeated 4.2 ± 0.8 years later. Linear regression models examined the associations of phasor magnitude and angle with cognition and cognitive decline. Models were adjusted for age, clinic, race, education, and season.
Results
Smaller phasor magnitude (worse aligned light and activity patterns) was associated with lower initial level and increased decline in executive function. Compared to those with higher phasor magnitude, those with lower magnitude took an average of 11.1 seconds longer to complete the Trails B test (quartile 1 vs quartile 4, p = .02). After follow-up, Trails B completion time increased an average of 5.5 seconds per standard deviation decrease in phasor magnitude (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7–10.4, p = .03). There were no associations with phasor angle, and none with magnitude and global cognition (3MS).
Conclusion
Among older men, worse alignment of light and activity patterns was associated with worse initial performance and increased decline in executive function, but not related to global cognition. Interventions that improve the alignment of light and activity may slow cognitive decline in older adults.
Neurodegeneration is a major cause of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, multiple and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pontocerebellar hypoplasia, dementia and other brain disorders. Their complex pathogenesis commonly includes genetic and neurochemical deficits, misfolded protein toxicity, demyelination, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunctions. Albeit differing in specific underlying mechanisms, neurodegenerative disorders typically display evolutionarily conserved mechanisms across taxa. Here, we review the role of zebrafish models in recapitulating major human and rodent neurodegenerative conditions, demonstrating this species as a highly relevant experimental model for research on neurodegenerative diseases, and discussing how these fish models can further clarify the underlying genetic, neurochemical, neuroanatomical and behavioral pathogenic mechanisms.
Students especially at universities undergo a lot of pressure and stress, and mental health is something that must not be taken lightly, especially at the time of pandemic as we are experiencing now. The need for us to look into the mental health is constantly reminded everywhere. There are a lot of ways to reduce stress such as meditation, getting involved in sports and one of the most practiced methods is by listening to music. Music has been indeed proved to have positive effects on humans and that it aids healing process such as binaural beats and Solfeggio frequency. These frequencies of music have impact towards the brainwave. This study reports on how the design thinking process was used to better identify the most suitable means on integrating mobile Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) as an application to know the impacts of different type of frequencies of music on the human brain to reduce stress. Besides suggesting a generic guideline to develop an application for mobile BCI, this study also provides us insights into the readiness of mobile BCI as an application for common usage.
Background:
Repeated exposure to long-known music has been shown to have a beneficial effect on cognitive performance in patients with AD. However, the brain mechanisms underlying improvement in cognitive performance are not yet clear.
Objective:
In this pilot study we propose to examine the effect of repeated long-known music exposure on imaging indices and corresponding changes in cognitive function in patients with early-stage cognitive decline.
Methods:
Participants with early-stage cognitive decline were assigned to three weeks of daily long-known music listening, lasting one hour in duration. A cognitive battery was administered, and brain activity was measured before and after intervention. Paired-measures tests evaluated the longitudinal changes in brain structure, function, and cognition associated with the intervention.
Results:
Fourteen participants completed the music-based intervention, including 6 musicians and 8 non-musicians. Post-baseline there was a reduction in brain activity in key nodes of a music-related network, including the bilateral basal ganglia and right inferior frontal gyrus, and declines in fronto-temporal functional connectivity and radial diffusivity of dorsal white matter. Musician status also significantly modified longitudinal changes in functional and structural brain measures. There was also a significant improvement in the memory subdomain of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
Conclusion:
These preliminary results suggest that neuroplastic mechanisms may mediate improvements in cognitive functioning associated with exposure to long-known music listening and that these mechanisms may be different in musicians compared to non-musicians.
Strongly affecting human and animal physiology, sounds and vibration are critical environmental factors whose complex role in behavioral and brain functions necessitates further clinical and experimental studies. Zebrafish are a promising model organism for neuroscience research, including probing the contribution of auditory and vibration stimuli to neurobehavioral processes. Here, we summarize mounting evidence on the role of sound and vibration in zebrafish behavior and brain function, and outline future directions of translational research in this field. With the growing environmental exposure to noise and vibration, we call for more active use of zebrafish models for probing neurobehavioral and bioenvironmental consequences of acute and long-term exposure to sounds and vibration in complex biological systems.
N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) mRNA methylation plays a role in various brain functions. Exposure to chronic constant light (CCL) has been reported to impair cognition, yet whether the underlying mechanism involves m⁶A remains unknown. In this study, mice exposed to CCL for 3 weeks show impaired cognitive behavior, which was associated with increased m⁶A level in hippocampus. Accordingly, the m⁶A demethylase FTO was inhibited while the methyltransferases METTL3, METTL14 and WTAP, as well as the reader protein YTHDF2, were elevated in the hippocampus of CCL-exposed mice. CCL exposure significantly activated hippocampal expression of circadian regulator cryptochrome 1 and 2 (CRY1 and 2). Meanwhile, hippocampal neurogenesis was impaired with suppression of BDNF/TrκB/ERK pathway. To further delineate the signaling pathway and the role of m⁶A, we altered the expression of CRY1/2 in hippocampus neuron cells. CRY1/2 overexpression inhibited FTO and increased m⁶A levels, while CRY1/2 knockdown led to opposite results. Luciferase reporter analysis further confirmed CRY1/2-induced FTO suppression. Furthermore, FTO knockdown increased m⁶A on 3’UTR of TrκB mRNA, and decreased TrκB mRNA stability and TrκB protein expression, in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. These results indicate that CCL-activated CRY1/2 causes transcriptional inhibition of FTO, which suppresses TrκB expression in hippocampus via m⁶A-dependent post-transcriptional regulation and contributes to impaired cognitive behavior in mice exposed to constant light.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is widely used as a promising translational model organism for studying various brain disorders. Zebrafish are also commonly used in behavioral and drug screening assays utilizing individually tested (socially isolated) fish. Various sounds emerge as important exogenous factors that may affect fish behavior. Mounting evidence shows that musical/auditory environmental enrichment can improve welfare of laboratory animals, including fishes. Here, we show that auditory environmental enrichment mitigates anxiogenic-like effects caused by acute social isolation in adult zebrafish. Thus, auditory environmental enrichment may offer an inexpensive, feasible and simple tool to improve welfare of zebrafish stocks in laboratory facilities, reduce unwanted procedural stress, lower non-specific behavioral variance and, hence, collectively improve zebrafish data reliability and reproducibility.
Melatonin is an important pineal hormone that regulates human and animal circadian rhythms and sleep. Mounting clinical and rodent evidence indicates that melatonin also modulates affective behaviors and cognition. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming a powerful novel model organism in translational neuroscience research. Here, we evaluate the effects of 24-h melatonin treatment on behavior and physiology of adult zebrafish with circadian rhythm disturbed by a 24-h light exposure. While this light exposure evoked overt cognitive and neuroendocrine (cortisol) deficits in zebrafish, these effects were reversed by a 24-h melatonin treatment. Collectively, these findings suggest a positive modulation of affective and cognitive phenotypes in zebrafish by melatonin, and reinforce the growing utility of zebrafish models for studying circadian, cognitive and behavioral processes and their neuroendocrine regulation.
Ethanol is one of the most consumed substance worldwide that impairs learning and memory processes, resulting in amnesia or blackout. Due to the genetic conservation, rich behavioral repertoire, and high pharmacological tractability, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a powerful model organism for assessing preventive strategies against the noxious effects of ethanol in vertebrates. Here, we used an inhibitory avoidance apparatus to investigate the potential preventive effects of taurine in a novel ethanol-induced amnesia model in zebrafish. The experimental tank consisted of two compartments of the same size, one dark and another white, which were separated by a guillotine-type door. Three parallel metal bars coupled to an electrical stimulator were connected on each lateral wall of the dark compartment as electrical stimulus source. Differences on the latency to enter the dark compartment were used as retention indexes. A mild electric shock (125 mA, 3 ± 0.2 V) at 10 and 1000 Hz did not promote significant learning, while 100 Hz facilitated memory retention. Posttraining administration of MK-801 blocked this response, reinforcing the predictive validity of the test. Treatments were performed immediately after the training session using the 100 Hz frequency. Animals were exposed to water (control), taurine (42, 150, 400 mg/L), ethanol (0.25%, 1.0% v/v) or taurine plus ethanol to assess the effects on memory consolidation. Test session was performed 24 h following training. Ethanol at 0.25% did not affect memory consolidation, but 1.0% impaired memory without changing locomotion. Although taurine alone did not modulate learning, all concentrations tested exerted prevented ethanol-induced memory impairment. Overall, we describe a novel ethanol-induced blackout model, where a high ethanol concentration acutely impairs memory consolidation in zebrafish. Moreover, since taurine showed a protective role, we reinforce the growing utility of zebrafish models for assessing the deleterious effects of ethanol and potential therapeutic strategies.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are rapidly becoming a popular model organism in translational and cognitive neuroscience research. Both larval and adult zebrafish continue to increase our understanding of cognitive mechanisms and their genetic and pharmacological modulation. Here, we discuss the developing utility of zebrafish in understanding cognitive phenotypes and their deficits, relevant to a wide range human brain disorders. We also discuss the potential of zebrafish models for high-throughput genetic mutant and small molecule screening (e.g., amnestics, cognitive enhancers, neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative drugs), which becomes critical for identifying novel candidate genes and molecular drug targets to treat cognitive deficits. In addition to discussing the existing challenges and future strategic directions in this field, we emphasize how zebrafish models of cognitive phenotypes continue to form an interesting and rapidly emerging new field in neuroscience.
Sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment are common in older adults. Mounting evidence points to a potential connection between sleep and cognitive function. Findings from observational studies support a role for sleep disturbances (particularly for sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, and sleep-disordered breathing) in the development of cognitive impairment. Less consistent evidence exists for associations of insomnia and circadian rhythm dysfunction with cognition. These findings suggest that the sleep–wake cycle plays a crucial part in brain ageing, pointing to a potential avenue for improvement of cognitive outcomes in people at risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Several biological mechanisms might underlie the association between sleep and cognition, but these pathways are not completely understood. Future studies that aim to clarify the association between sleep and cognition might help to identify people at risk of cognitive disorders and to facilitate the development of novel therapies to treat and potentially prevent both sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming a popular model organism in pharmacogenetics and neuropharmacology. Both larval and adult zebrafish are currently used to increase our understanding of brain function, dysfunction, and their genetic and pharmacological modulation. Here we review the developing utility of zebrafish in the analysis of complex brain disorders (including, for example, depression, autism, psychoses, drug abuse and cognitive disorders), also covering zebrafish applications towards the goal of modeling major human neuropsychiatric and drug-induced syndromes. We argue that zebrafish models of complex brain disorders and drug-induced conditions have become a rapidly emerging critical field in translational neuropharmacology research.
This study sought to evaluate the effect of classical music, using Mozart's sonata for two pianos (K. 448), on changes in dopamine (DA) levels in the striatal nucleus (SN), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and mesencephalon, and on prolactin (PRL) and corticosterone secretion in adult male Wistar rats. Rats were divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) haloperidol treatment (single dose of 2 mg/kg s.c.), (3) music (two 2-h sessions per day) and (4) haloperidol plus music. Rats were sacrificed 2 h after haloperidol injection. Music prompted a fall in plasma PRL and corticosterone levels in healthy rats (P < 0.05) and prevented the increase in levels triggered by haloperidol (P < 0.001). Moreover, exposure to music was associated with a significant increase in DA levels in all groups, with the increase being particularly marked in PFC and SN (P < 0.001). Haloperidol is a recognised D2 receptor antagonist, and these findings suggest that music, by contrast, enhances DA activity and turnover in the brain. The results obtained here bear out reports that music triggers a reduction in systolic pressure and an increase in mesencephalon dopamine levels in human and rats treated with ecstasy, through a calmodulin-dependent system.
Although studies have shown that psychological stress has detrimental effects on bronchial asthma, there are few objective data on whether early-life stress, as early postnatal psychosocial environment, has a long-lasting effect on adult asthma and the potential pathophysiologic mechanism. This study aims to examine the effects on immune function and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses in adult asthmatic rats that experienced stress in early life and the potential ameliorative effects of music therapy on these parameters.
Forty male Wistar rat pups were randomly assigned to the asthma group, the adulthood-stressed asthma group, the childhood-stressed asthma group, the music group, and the control group. Restraint stress and Mozart's Sonata K.448 were applied to ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic rats to establish psychological stress and music therapy models. The levels of serum corticosterone were examined in both childhood after stress and adulthood after OVA challenge. Immune indicators in blood, lung, and brain tissues were measured after the last OVA challenge.
Stress in both childhood and adulthood resulted in increases in leukocyte and eosinophil numbers and serum interleukin (IL)-4 levels. The adulthood-stressed group demonstrated increased corticosterone levels after challenge, whereas the childhood-stressed group showed increased corticosterone concentration in childhood but decreased level in adulthood. Central IL-1beta exhibited a similar tendency. Music group rats showed reduced serum IL-4 and corticosterone.
Stress in childhood and adulthood resulted in different HPA axis responsiveness in the exacerbation of markers of asthma. These data provide the first evidence of the long-term normalizing effects of music on asthmatic rats.
Musical mnemonics have a long and diverse history of popular use. In addition, music processing in general is often considered spared by the neurodegenerative effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Research examining these two phenomena is limited, and no work to our knowledge has explored the effectiveness of musical mnemonics in AD. The present study sought to investigate the effect of music at encoding on the subsequent recognition of associated verbal information. Lyrics of unfamiliar children's songs were presented bimodally at encoding, and visual stimuli were accompanied by either a sung or a spoken recording. Patients with AD demonstrated better recognition accuracy for the sung lyrics than the spoken lyrics, while healthy older adults showed no significant difference between the two conditions. We propose two possible explanations for these findings: first, that the brain areas subserving music processing may be preferentially spared by AD, allowing a more holistic encoding that facilitates recognition, and second, that music heightens arousal in patients with AD, allowing better attention and improved memory.
Rats were exposed in utero plus 60 days post-partum to either complex music (Mozart Sonata (k. 448)), minimalist music (a Philip Glass composition), white noise or silence, and were then tested for five days, three trials per day, in a multiple T-maze. By Day 3, the rats exposed to the Mozart work completed the maze more rapidly and with fewer errors than the rats assigned to the other groups. The difference increased in magnitude through Day 5. This suggests that repeated exposure to complex music induces improved spatial-temporal learning in rats, resembling results found in humans. Taken together with studies of enrichment-induced neural plasticity, these results suggest a similar neurophysiological mechanism for the effects of music on spatial learning in rats and humans.
Exposure to some music, in particular classical music, has been reported to produce transient increases in cognitive performance. The authors investigated the effect of listening to an excerpt of Vivaldi's Four Seasons on category fluency in healthy older adult controls and Alzheimer's disease patients. In a counterbalanced repeated-measure design, participants completed two, 1-min category fluency tasks whilst listening to an excerpt of Vivaldi and two, 1-min category fluency tasks without music. The authors report a positive effect of music on category fluency, with performance in the music condition exceeding performance without music in both the healthy older adult control participants and the Alzheimer's disease patients. In keeping with previous reports, the authors conclude that music enhances attentional processes, and that this can be demonstrated in Alzheimer's disease.
- Y Xing
- Y Xia
- K Kendrick
- X Liu
- M Wang
- D Wu
- H Yang
- W Jing
- D Guo
- D Yao
Y. Xing, Y. Xia, K. Kendrick, X. Liu, M. Wang, D. Wu, H. Yang, W. Jing, D. Guo,
D. Yao, Mozart, Mozart rhythm and retrograde Mozart effects: evidences from
behaviours and neurobiology bases, Sci. Rep. 6 (1) (2016) 18744.