title: Music therapy, emotions and the heart: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the control of cardiac function. It has been suggested that sound and music may have effects on the autonomic control of the heart inducing emotions, concomitantly with the activation of specific brain areas, i.e. the limbic area, and they may exert potential beneficial effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study is a prerequisite and defines a methodology to assess the relation between changes in cardiac physiological parameters such as heart rate, QT interval and their variability and the psychological responses to music therapy sessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the cardiac physiological parameters and psychological responses to a music therapy session. ECG Holter recordings were performed before, during and after a music therapy session in 8 healthy individuals. The different behaviors of the music therapist and of the subjects have been analyzed with a specific music therapy assessment (Music Therapy Checklist).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the session mean heart rate decreased (p = 0.05), high frequency of heart rate variability tended to be higher and QTc variability tended to be lower. During music therapy session "affect attunements" have been found in all subjects but one. A significant emotional activation was associated to a higher dynamicity and variations of sound-music interactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results may represent the rational basis for larger studies in diferent clinical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Pavia, Italy. raglioa@tin.it
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raglio
authors.forename: Osmano
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oasi
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellandi
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manzoni
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goulene
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Imbriani
authors.forename: Marco Stramba
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Badiale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009147:Music Therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires