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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Mar 24, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers have found listening to music while exercising might boost mental performance.
The researchers, from Ohio State University, said of 33 men and women in a cardiac rehabilitation program, the patients who listened to a recording of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" performed twice as well on a verbal fluency test after exercising than those who did not.
Participants also completed a 30-item checklist before and after exercising, which included adjectives to describe their current mood. The biggest change was found in the part of the brain responsible for planning and abstract thought and verbal processing.
Past research had indicated exercising improves the cognitive performance of people with coronary artery disease, while other studies suggested listening to music enhances brain power. The study is the first to combine the two, said lead author Charles Emery, professor of psychology.
The team studied cardiac rehabilitation patients because coronary artery disease may compromise cognitive ability, Emery said.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
