Aim: 

The present study analyzed the anxiolytic action of Mozart's sonata music (K. 448) in control or ovariectomized (OVX) female Wistar rats.

Methods: 

The rats were divided into four groups: i) control; ii) OVX; iii) control+music and iv) OVX+music. The effects of music were tested in two models of anxiety: rat elevated-plus maze (EPM) and rat light/dark box (LDB). The animals received sessions of music of 6 hours/day during 7 days previous to the EPM and LDB tests. EMP was evaluated as: open:closed arm time and entries (OAT, CAT, OAE, CAE, respectively); whereas LDB was examined as the amount of time spent in light:dark compartment (TSL and TSD, respectively) and entries into dark compartment (transitions; T).

Results: 

OVX induced an anxiety status characterized by a decrease of percentage of: OAT (3.5% in OVX group vs 16.4% in control group); OAE (30% in OVX group vs 40% in control group); and TSL (3.2% in OVX group vs 22.3% in control group). These changes caused by OVX were reversed by music with percentages higher than control. Also, the music showed an anxiolytic effect on control rats.

Conclusions: 

Our data show the anxiolytic effect of music, even in ovarian hormone absence. The anxiety, among other many factors, is linked to the absence of ovarian hormones, especially progesterone and derived neurosteroids. A recent study in female mouse indicates that estrogens and progesterone are essential in anxiolytic effect of music. However, our data do not sustain this hypothesis, for this reason more investigation is required.