Epilepsy, in the various forms in which it occurs, is a neurological disorder often characterized by violent convulsions and spasms of the body and head. It is the most common serious brain disorder and can occur at all ages, with a higher incidence in children and the elderly. The specific causes of the disease are not well known. Genetic predisposition, environmental and epigenetic causes, traumas and factors not yet well characterized certainly all contribute. Antiepileptic drug therapy and surgery are effective in 60-70% of cases. However, recent studies have shown that those suffering from epilepsy could fight the disorder and have important positive effects with this daily 30-second activity.
Sonata for two pianos in D major (K488) and the Mozart Effect
In 1781 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed a sonata for two pianos in D major (called K488) for a concert to be performed with Josepha Auernhammer. It is a sonata divided into three movements (allegro con Spirito, andante and very allegro).
In a study published a few years ago in Nature (Rauscher FH et al, 1993) the researchers found an improvement in “spatial intelligence” after listening to this sonata. Spatial intelligence means the ability to think abstract three-dimensional objects through mental images. It is related to the ability to use concepts such as color, shape and displacement. It was also suggested that the number of seizures decreased after listening. This improvement was called the “Mozart Effect”.
Epilepsy sufferers could combat the disorder with this 30-second daily activity
In a study just published in Scientific Reports (Quon RJ et al 2021), researchers went to investigate the ability of this specific music to influence epilepsy. Listening to K488 for at least 30 seconds is associated with less frequent spikes in neuronal electrical discharges in people with drug-insensitive epilepsy.
In other words, the researchers found that listening to Mozart’s K488 for 30-90 seconds, but not other music, decreased the electrical signals that lead to seizures throughout the brain by 60%.
These reductions were greatest in the parts of the brain involved in regulating emotional responses (left and right frontal cortex). This has led to the suggestion that the positive effect of this sonata is related to the activation in the brain of areas related to emotional responses.
In a previous article we highlighted how motivational music was important for athletes during training. The present study highlights, once again, how music is able to stimulate our emotions and our behaviors with, also, a therapeutic benefit.