Effects of Music on Physiological and Biochemical Markers in Patients with A Mood Disorder

Objective: Music therapy has not been actively adopted in Japan since its scientific basis must be further verified. Therefore, we compared frontal lobe activation, using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and stress biomarkers between patients with mood disorders and healthy individuals in an experimental model using active and passive music tasks. Methods: The control group comprised 15 healthy volunteers, and the mood disorder group comprised 12 patients with persistent depressive disorder. NIRS was performed under two active music tasks (playing and singing music) and one passive music task (listening to music), with a resting baseline. Blood and saliva samples were collected before and after the music sessions. Results: Relative to baseline, oxy-hemoglobin levels during the playing music task were increased in all channels in the control group, but tended to be significantly decreased or show less change in the mood disorder group. Oxy-hemoglobin levels during the listening to music task were decreased in all channels in the control group, but tended to be significantly increased in the mood disorder group. Oxy-hemoglobin levels during the singing music task were increased in many channels in the control group but not in the mood disorder group, without significant differences. In the mood disorder group, blood and saliva cortisol levels were significantly decreased after the music therapy session, while the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion: The results suggest that music therapy can positively impact stress relief, and that active and passive music tasks have differing effects on frontal lobe activation.