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New research explores the calming effect of Mozart on premature babies

11 Jan 2010

The study looked at 20 premature babies who were randomly assigned to experience either exposure to music or no music first, with the alternative treatment being given the next day. During the music exposure phase the children were played music from a ‘Baby Mozart’ CD played through a CD player with mini speakers placed inside the incubators. Each baby’s use of oxygen and production of carbon dioxide was measured each minute during this 30-minute exposure period. During the music-free assessment phase the children underwent the metabolic measures for 30 minutes.

Resting energy expenditure (REE) was similar between the groups in the 10 minutes before exposure, but during the next 10-minute period, infants who were exposed to music had a significantly lower REE than when they were not exposed to music (p=0.028). This pattern was also seen during the third 10-minute period (p=0.03). The researchers say that, on average, the effect of music is a reduction of 10-13% of REE from the start of the examination phase, and that this effect was obtained within 10 to 30 minutes.

Previous research has found that Mozart’s music has improved some aspects of intelligence in adults, lowered heart rates, and reduced salivary Cortisol (an indicator of stress levels) and distressed behaviour, and even increased weight gain in premature infants. The researchers for this study investigated how music affects metabolic efficiency, which they say might then explain the effects on weight gain seen in other research. But they were careful to state that “the clinical implications of our findings belong to the field of speculation” and that more research is needed before this type of experimental music therapy has a place in the routine care of babies in neonatal intensive care units.

The full research report can be found here.

(NHS Choices, 11 January 2010)

Tags: Early Years, Families, Health, Talk To Your Baby

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