Thursday, September 27, 2007

Quiet Piano Music Lowers Stress in Rats


Just found this interesting study from Japan. Now I have scientific proof that playing New Age piano can assist in your health. Here's the article:

Quiet piano music helps ease stress in rats, according to a recent study that found blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity drop sharply in rats exposed to Robert Schumann's "Traumerei."

The study proves the effectiveness of music therapy, claimed Katsuya Nagai, a professor emeritus at Osaka University who led the team that conducted the study. About 70 rats were used for the experiment.

The rats were exposed to "Traumerei" and other sounds for an hour at a time. Blood pressure and nerve activity were gauged before and after each exposure through electrodes attached to the sympathetic nerve in the rats' kidneys.

Nerve activity dropped as much as 32 percent and blood pressure as much as 12 percent after the soft piano piece, the researchers said.

But nerve activity and blood pressure changed little after the rats were subjected to other noises or to passionate piano tunes.

Nagai said he will continue to study what kind of music soothes the sympathetic nerve system of rats and ultimately humans, who he says exhibit similar reactions to odors and light

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