An experimental study to evaluate the effect of instrumental Indian classical and western music therapy on learning and memory in stress induced young rats.

Abstract

Background: Stress is known to induce alterations in various physiological responses even leading to pathological state. It is known to be linked with memory. The long term stress leads to severity of cognitive deficits. One of the most powerful sources of auditory stimulation in the human brain is provided by music. Listening to music is a complex process for the brain, since it triggers a sequel of cognitive and emotional components with distinct neural substrates. Objectives: To compare the effect of classical instrumental Indian music on memory of stress induced young rats. Methods: The rats of age 30 days are stressed by Tube stress for duration of 2 hour per day for 10 days followed by instrumental music therapy. 4 Comparative groups with 6 rats in each group are studied. Then, rats were tested for cognitive changes by Morris water maze, along with age matched control rats. Results: Stress significantly decreases learning and memory in the rats. However, significant (p<0.005) improvement is observed after the treatment with Indian instrumental classical music among stress induced rats. Conclusion: Indian instrumental classical music is one of the very cost effective, easily reachable remedy in reliving the negative effects of stress induced cognitive impairments. I. INTRODUCTION Stress is constant in our lives and cannot be avoided 1 . It is known to induce alterations in various physiological responses even leading to pathological state and is known to be linked with memory 2 . It has been known that severe stress lasting weeks or months can impair cell communication in the brain’s learning and memory region 1 . The long term stress leads to severity of cognitive deficits 3 . Stress seems to facilitate memory formation when the learning procedure itself is arousing or emotionally valanced, or when learning takes place in a stressful context 4 . Stress is a biologically significant factor that, by altering brain cell properties, can disturb cognitive processes such as learning and memory, and consequently limit the quality of human life 5-6 . One of the most powerful sources of auditory stimulation in the human brain is provided by Music. Listening to music is a complex process for the brain, since it triggers a sequel of cognitive and emotional components. The soothing power of music is well-established 3