Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
Published on: August 24, 2017
The Mozart effect in patients suffering from tinnitus
Giuseppe Attanasio1, Giulia Cartocci, Edoardo Covelli
1Department of Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. giuseppe.attanasio@uniroma1.it
Conclusion:
The study suggests that Mozart therapy could be a valid alternative to the common sound therapy methods in tinnitus patients.
Objectives:
The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of the Mozart effect as indexed by a variation in tinnitus intensity and tolerability.
Method:
Sixty-two individuals aged between 22 and 78 years, reporting tinnitus for at least 1 year, were enrolled for the study. All patients attended a 1 h cognitive behavioral counseling session and listened to Mozart's sonata k448 for 1 h per day for a month. Afterwards patients listened to Beethoven's Für Elise sonata for 1 h per day for a month. To evaluate the general stress level, the impact of tinnitus on patients' quality of life, and the intensity of tinnitus, patients were invited to participate in three tests: the Measure du Stress Psychologique (MSP) questionnaire, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and a 0 to 10 visual analog scale (VAS).
Results:
For all the parameters investigated, MSP, THI, and intensity, there was a general significant improvement between the pre- and post-listening evaluation. A significant improvement, as regards THI and intensity, could already be appreciated after a single exposure to Mozart's sonata.
