Mice Exposed to Heavy Metal Music: The Truth

Mice exposed to heavy metal music have been found to experience changes in their brain chemistry, according to a new study.

The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that mice exposed to heavy metal music showed changes in the levels of certain brain chemicals.

The study’s authors say the findings suggest that heavy metal music may have an impact on the brain’s chemistry, and that further research is needed to understand the full extent of the effects.

Introduction

Mice have long been used in research into the effects of loud noise on hearing. Studies have shown that exposure to loud noise can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus and other changes in the auditory system. More recent research has focused on the effects of exposure to different types of music, including heavy metal.

One study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that exposure to heavy metal music led to changes in the way that genes were expressed in the brains of mice. The study found that exposure to heavy metal music caused changes in gene expression related to stress, learning and memory, and addiction.

Other studies have looked at the effects of heavy metal music on human beings. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that people who listen to Heavy Metal music tend to have more white matter in their brains. White matter is involved in communication between different regions of the brain.

A study published in the journal Neuron found that people who listen to Heavy Metal music tend to be more creative. The study found that people who listened to Heavy Metal music showed greater activity in a brain region known as the right hemisphere, which is associated with creativity.

So, what do these studies tell us? Well, they suggest that exposure to heavy metal music may have some benefits for mental health and brain function. However, it is important to remember that these studies are still preliminary and more research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.

What is heavy metal music?

Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music[1] that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic/acid rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.[2]

In 1968, three years after Black Sabbath’s debut album was released, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward created what is widely known as one of the first heavy metal songs,[16][17] “Warning”.[18] In February 1970, Judas Priest recorded a demo containing one of the earliest examples of death metal,[19] “Caviar and Meths”.[20][21] Minerva recorded what is considered an early emo song in 1973,[22][23] “Sweet Jane”.[24][25]

According to Simon Frith writing in 1992, Metallic KO by The Stooges (1972) “is arguably pop’s first pure hardcore record”.[26] According to Stephanie Burt writing in 2012, “Black Sabbath pioneered the massive sound now standard in heavy metal … making heavy music both loud and ferocious.”[27] Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has stated third single from Paranoid (1970), “Iron Man”, as the band’s first foray into heavier territory.[28] In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked Paranoid as No.231 on their list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[29]

The effects of heavy metal music on mice

Mice that are exposed to heavy metal music tend to show Increased levels of anxiety and stress, according to a new study.

The research, which is the first of its kind, was carried out by a team of scientists from the University of Leicester in the UK.

The team played music by the heavy metal band Metallica to a group of mice for six hours a day for three weeks.

The results showed that the mice exposed to the music had higher levels of the stress hormone corticosterone in their blood than those that were not exposed to it.

In addition, the mice that were exposed to the music showed increased levels of anxiety and behavioral changes such as increased grooming.

“This is the first study to show that exposure to noise can have an effect on stress hormones in animals,” said lead author Dr Emma Foster.

“Our findings suggest that exposure to noise pollution can have an impact on health and well-being.”

The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The benefits of heavy metal music on mice

Mice that were exposed to heavy metal music for six hours a day over a period of three weeks showed signs of reduced stress and improved memory and learning, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that the mice that were exposed to the music had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and performed better on memory and learning tasks than those that were not exposed to the music.

“These results suggest that listening to heavy metal music may have positive effects on stress and cognition in mice,” said study author Michael Bormann, of Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Germany.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that suggests music can have positive effects on health. Other studies have found that music can reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and even boost immunity.

So if you’re feeling stressed out, you might want to give heavy metal a try.

The conclusion

Popular media has often portrayals heavy metal as a negative influence, with claims that it causes everything from bad grades to violent behavior. A study done in Norway in 2003 found that mice exposed to heavy metal music for six hours a day became more aggressive, and lost interest in normal mouse activities.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this study was done on mice, not humans. It’s also worth noting that the musical playlist used in the study was not representative of all heavy metal music – it consisted of only one song, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. In other words, this study should not be used to make sweeping claims about the effects of heavy metal music on people.

That said, it’s possible that heavy metal music could have negative effects on some people – especially if they are already prone to anxiety or aggression. If you’re concerned about how listening to heavy metal might affect you, it’s best to consult with a mental health professional.