Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory changes induced by different types of music in musicians and non- musicians: The importance of silence

Luciano Bernardi ^1*, Cesare Porta ¹ and Peter Sleight ²

¹ University of Pavia, Italy
² John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lbern1ps{at}unipv.it.

Accepted 18 August 2005

Abstract

Objective:Music might induce changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of potential clinical use, particularly in modulating stress. We assessed the importance of tempo, rhythm, melodic structure, pause, individual preference, habituation, order effect of presentation, and previous musical training.

Design:Measuring cardiovascular and respiratory variables while listening to music.

Setting:University research laboratory for the study of cardiorespiratory autonomic function.

Patients:Twelve practising musicians and 12 age-matched controls.

Interventions:After a 5 min baseline, presentation in random order of 6 different music styles (first for a 2 min, then for a 4 min track), with a randomly inserted 2 min pause, in either sequence.

Main outcome measures:Breathing rate, ventilation, carbon dioxide, RR interval, blood pressure, mid - cerebral artery flow velocity, and baroreflex.

Results:Ventilation, blood pressure and heart rate increased, mid-cerebral artery flow velocity and baroreflex decreased with faster tempi and simpler rhythmic structures, compared to baseline. No habituation effect was seen. The pause reduced heart rate, blood pressure and minute ventilation - even below baseline. An order effect independent of style was evident for mid-cerebral artery flow velocity, indicating a progressive reduction with exposure to music, independent of style. Musicians showed greater respiratory sensitivity to the music tempo as compared to non-musicians.

Conclusions:Music induces an arousal effect, predominantly related to the tempo. Slow or meditative music can induce a relaxing effect; relaxation is particularly evident during a pause. Music, especially in trained subjects, might first concentrate attention during faster rhythms, then induce relaxation during pauses or slower rhythms.

Keywords: baroreflex, blood pressure, heart rate variability, music perception, transcranial doppler ultrasonography

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