Effect of different frequencies of music on blood pressure regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The effect of different frequencies of music on brain function was investigated through measurement of blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Previous studies indicated that exposure to Mozart's music (K. 205) leads to increased calcium/calmodulin-dependent dopamine synthesis in the brain, and that the subsequent increase in dopamine reduces blood pressure via D-2 receptors. The present study demonstrated that the blood pressure-reducing response was dependent on the frequency, and was markedly greater at 4k-16k Hz compared with lower frequencies. These findings suggest that music containing high-frequency sounds stimulates dopamine synthesis, and might thereby regulate and/or affect various brain functions. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.