Mozart K.448 listening decreased seizure recurrence and epileptiform discharges in children with first unprovoked seizures: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

BackgroundIncreasing numbers of reports show the beneficial effects of listening to Mozart music in decreasing epileptiform discharges as well as seizure frequency in epileptic children. There has been no effective method to reduce seizure recurrence after the first unprovoked seizure until now. In this study, we investigated the effect of listening to Mozart K.448 in reducing the seizure recurrence rate in children with first unprovoked seizures.MethodsForty-eight children who experienced their first unprovoked seizure with epileptiform discharges were included in the study. They were randomly placed into treatment (n = 24) and control (n = 24) groups. Children in the treatment group listened to Mozart K.448 daily before bedtime for at least six months. Two patients in the treatment group were excluded from analysis due to discontinuation intervention. Finally, forty-six patients were analyzed. Most of these patients (89.1%) were idiopathic in etiology. Seizure recurrence rates and reduction of epileptiform discharges were compared.ResultsThe average follow-up durations in the treatment and control groups were 18.6 ± 6.6 and 20.1 ± 5.1 months, respectively. The seizure recurrence rate was estimated to be significantly lower in the treatment group than the control group over 24 months (37.2% vs. 76.8%, p = 0.0109). Significant decreases in epileptiform discharges were also observed after 1, 2, and 6 months of listening to Mozart K.448 when compared with EEGs before listening to music. There were no significant differences in gender, mentality, seizure type, and etiology between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups.ConclusionsAlthough the case number was limited and control music was not performed in this study, the study revealed that listening to Mozart K.448 reduced the seizure recurrence rate and epileptiform discharges in children with first unprovoked seizures, especially of idiopathic etiology. We believe that Mozart K.448 could be a promising alternative treatment in patients with first unprovoked seizures and abnormal EEGs. Further large-scaled study should be conducted to confirm the effect.Trial registrationNCT01892605, date: June-19-2013

Mozart's music in children with drug-refractory epileptic encephalopathies

“…More recently, Lin et al [12] investigated the effect of listening to Mozart K.448 in reducing the seizure recurrence rate in children with first unprovoked seizures, most of them with idiopathic, benign forms of focal or generalized epilepsy and normal intellectual functioning. After a six-month follow-up, listening to Mozart K.448 significantly decreased the seizure recurrence rate and the amount of spike-and-wave discharges.…”

Comments on Hughes JR. The Mozart effect. Epilepsy & Behavior 2001;2:369–417

“…e l s e v i e r . c o m / l o c a t e / y e b e h bedtime for at least six months [6]. The results showed reduced seizure recurrence over 24 months for the treatment group (77% versus 37% for controls) as well as reduced epileptiform discharges after 1, 2, and 6 months of listening to Mozart (compared to treatment baseline).…”

“…Although not always replicated, this produced the scenario where the term 'Mozart Effect' is now applied to a wide range of phenomena, including the effect of Mozart (or other music) on maze learning in rodents, as background music on human cognitive performance, and on epileptiform activity in people with epilepsy. The term has subsequently been loosely applied to distinct lines of research investigating the effects of formal music training on the enhancement of nonmusical cognitive abilities and, more generally, the use of music therapy to ameliorate or reduce the symptoms of medical disease [5,6]. Unifying this diverse set of findings under a common term, however, has created a false impression of the breadth and robustness of the Mozart Effect, since these findings have not been shown to share a common underlying mechanism [7].…”

Can natural ways to stimulate the vagus nerve improve seizure control?

“…A randomized controlled study, has shown that listening to K448 every evening for 6 months significantly reduced epileptiform discharges and the incidence of a seizure recurrence in children diagnosed with their first unprovoked seizure [39]. Mozart K545 [40] and other Mozart music [41] also appear to have similar effects but K448 has been best studied.…”