The Effect of Music on Resistance to Mental Fatigue：Evidence of EEG Power Spectrum

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of music listening in alleviating mental fatigue among healthy participants and to explore the neural evidence by electroencephalography (EEG). Methods: A total of 30 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either the Music or Control groups. Mental fatigue was induced in both groups using a 30-minute Stroop task. Following this task, the Music group listened to music for 20 minutes, while the Control group sat quietly for the same duration. Measurements were taken at three time points: before the Stroop task, immediately after the Stroop task, and after the 20-minute intervention period. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and 3-minute resting-state EEG signals were collected at each time point. Results: The data indicated that music listening significantly reduced mental fatigue. VAS scores decreased more in the Music group than the Control group (P=0.031). The EEG iAPF showed a significant recovery in the Music group (P<0.0001). Delta power in the frontal region decreased significantly post-intervention in the Music group (P=0.011). Theta and alpha power also decreased significantly in the Music group across multiple brain regions (all Ps<0.0076), with no significant changes observed in beta power. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of music as a non-invasive and enjoyable intervention for mitigating the effects of mental fatigue. Moreover, iAPF, theta, and alpha power can serve as reliable biomarkers for assessing mental fatigue and the restorative effects of interventions like music.