Tomatis/psychophonology and the maze

A study of rats indicated a tangible demonstration of musical enjoyment versus a physical response to the Mozart Sonata. A number of rats were exposed in utero plus 60 days post-partum to one of the following: complex music (Mozart Piano Sonata in D major (K.448)), minimalist music (a Philip Glass composition), white noise or silence, and were then tested for five days, three trials per day, in a multiple T-maze. By Day 3, the rats exposed to the Mozart music completed the maze more rapidly and with fewer errors than the rats in the other groups. The difference increased in magnitude through Day 5. This suggests that repeated exposure to complex music induces improved spatial-temporal learning in rats.