Abstract
Objective
Music has been related to cardiovascular health and used as adjunct therapy in patients
with cardiovascular disease. Aortic stiffness and wave reflections are predictors
of cardiovascular risk. We investigated the short-term effect of classical and rock
music on arterial stiffness and wave reflections.
Methods
Twenty healthy individuals (22.5 ± 2.5 years) were studied on three different occasions
and listened to a 30-min music track compilation (classical, rock, or no music for
the sham procedure).
Results
Both classical and rock music resulted in a decrease of carotid-femoral pulse wave
velocity (PWV) immediately after the end of music listening (all p < 0.01). Augmentation index (AIx) decreased with either classical or rock music in
a more sustained way (nadir by 6.0% and 5.8%, respectively, at time zero post-music
listening, all p < 0.01). When music preference was taken into consideration, both classical and rock
music had a more potent effect on PWV in classical aficionados (by 0.20 m/s, p = 0.003 and 0.13 m/s, p = 0.015, respectively), whereas there was no effect in rock aficionados (all p = NS). Regarding wave reflections, classical music led to a more potent response
in classical aficionados (AIx decrease by 9.45%), whereas rock led to a more potent
response to rock aficionados (by 10.7%, all p < 0.01).
Conclusions
Music, both classical and rock, decreases aortic stiffness and wave reflections. Effect
on aortic stiffness lasts for as long as music is listened to, while classical music
has a sustained effect on wave reflections. These findings may have important implications,
extending the spectrum of lifestyle modifications that can ameliorate arterial function.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 15, 2015
Accepted:
March 9,
2015
Received in revised form:
March 6,
2015
Received:
January 16,
2015
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
