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Does Music Experience Impact the Vascular Endothelial Response to Singing?
Mehri Bagherimohamadipour1, Muhammad Hammad1, Alexis Visotcky2
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
Brain Sciences
|September 27, 2025
Summary
Singing improves vascular endothelial function in older adults with coronary artery disease. Personal music experience did not alter these benefits, nor did singing acutely change cortisol or cytokine levels.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Vascular endothelial function is crucial for brain health, particularly in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors.
- Previous research demonstrated singing improves microvascular endothelial function in older adults with coronary artery disease.
- This study explores secondary outcomes, including hormonal and inflammatory markers, and the role of personal music experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of personal music experience on singing's effects on vascular endothelial function.
- To analyze changes in cortisol and cytokine levels following singing interventions.
- To assess the relationship between these biomarkers and vascular function.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, crossover, controlled trial involving 65 older adults with coronary artery disease.
- Interventions included live singing, singing with a video, and rest (control).
- Vascular function assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BA FMD%) and peripheral arterial tonometry (fRHI, RHI). Salivary cortisol and cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8) were measured. The Brief Music Experience Questionnaire (BMEQ) assessed music background.
Main Results:
- Personal music experience (BMEQ score) did not significantly impact changes in macrovascular or microvascular endothelial function.
- No acute changes in salivary cortisol or cytokine levels were observed after 30 minutes of singing compared to rest.
- Changes in IL-8 and TNF-α showed correlations with microvascular function (RHI and fRHI).
Conclusions:
- Singing's positive effects on microvascular endothelial function in older adults with coronary artery disease are independent of personal music experience.
- Acute singing interventions do not significantly alter salivary cortisol or cytokine levels.
- While some cytokines correlated with vascular function, singing itself did not acutely change these markers.
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