Effect of Selected Music Soundtracks on Cardiac Vagal Control and Complexity Assessed by Heart Rate Variability

• Published in: Physiological research Vol. 72; no. 5; pp. 587 - 596
• Main Authors: Parizek, D, Visnovcova, N, Hamza Sladicekova, K, Veternik, M, Jakus, J, Jakusova, J, Visnovcova, Z, Ferencova, N, Tonhajzerova, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Czech Republic Institute of Physiology 28-11-2023; Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biomarkers; Body mass index; EKG; Electrocardiography; Entropy; Heart; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Investigations; Listening; Male; Music - psychology; Music therapy; Nervous system; Personal information; Stress; Vagus Nerve; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0862-8408; 1802-9973
• DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.935114

Listening to music is experimentally associated with positive stress reduction effect on human organisms. However, the opinions of therapists about this complementary non-invasive therapy are still different.
The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of selected passive music therapy frequencies without vocals on selected cardio-vagal and complexity indices of short-term heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy youth, in terms of calming the human.
30 probands (15 male, averaged age: 19.7+/-1.4 years, BMI: 23.3+/-3.8 kg/m2) were examined during protocol (Silence baseline, Music 1 (20-1000 Hz), Silence 1, Music 2 (250-2000 Hz), Silence 2, Music 3 (1000-16000 Hz), and Silence 3). Evaluated HRV parameters in time, spectral, and geometrical domains represent indices of cardio-vagal and emotional regulation. Additionally, HRV complexity was calculated by approximate entropy and sample entropy (SampEn) and subjective characteristics of each phase by Likert scale.
the distance between subsequent R-waves in the electrocardiogram (RR intervals [ms]) and SampEn were significantly higher during Music 3 compared to Silence 3 (p=0.015, p=0.021, respectively). Geometrical cardio-vagal index was significantly higher during Music 2 than during Silence 2 (p=0.006). In the subjective perception of the healthy youths evaluated statistically through a Likert scale, the phases of music were perceived significantly more pleasant than the silent phases (p<0.001, p=0.008, p=0.003, respectively).
Our findings revealed a rise of cardio-vagal modulation and higher complexity assessed by short-term HRV indices suggesting positive relaxing effect music especially of higher frequency on human organism.