title: Exposure to music and noise during pregnancy influences neurogenesis and thickness in motor and somatosensory cortex of rat pups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prenatal environmental conditions affect the development of the fetus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of exposure to music and noise during pregnancy on neurogenesis and thickness in the motor and somatosensory cortex of rat pups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pregnant rats in the music-applied group were exposed to 65 dB of comfortable music for 1 hour, once per day, from the 15th day of pregnancy until delivery. The pregnant rats in the noise-applied group were exposed to 95 dB of sound from a supersonic sound machine for 1 hour, once per day, from the 15th day of pregnancy until delivery. After birth, the offspring were left undisturbed together with their mother. The rat pups were sacrificed at 21 days after birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to music during pregnancy increased neurogenesis in the motor and somatosensory cortex of rat pups. In contrast, rat pups exposed to noise during pregnancy showed decreased neurogenesis and thickness in the motor and somatosensory cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that music and noise during the developmental period are important factors influencing brain development and urogenital disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Je Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kyung-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Shin-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mal-Soon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sang-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Chang-Ju
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Khae-Hawn
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Motor cortex; Music; Neurogenesis; Noise; Somatosensory cortex