Behavioral, neurobiological, and physiological effects of music exposure in murine models: A systematic review

Music’s impact on the brain and behavior has been widely investigated over the past decades. This review synthesizes and critically evaluates the evidence regarding how music affects murine models, particularly rats, across multiple levels of analysis, including behavioral, neurobiological, and physiological outcomes. A thorough literature search was conducted using PubMed, WILEY Online Library, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, encompassing studies published between 2000 and 2025 that examined the effects of music on murine models. Out of 276 screened publications, 65 studies met our predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria for qualitative evaluation. Overall, the findings indicate that music exposure significantly influences multiple biological functions. At the behavioral level, studies reported enhanced learning performance, reduced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, and increased sociability. Neurobiological findings further indicated enhanced brain development, strengthened synaptic connectivity, increased neurogenesis, and greater neuroplasticity. Music exposure was also associated with physiological parameters, such as reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and corticosterone levels, together with increased body weight. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed across experimental designs, musical stimuli, exposure protocols, and outcome measures. The available evidence supports the potential of music as a biologically relevant and therapeutically promising intervention in murine models. Nevertheless, improved methodological standardization and further research are required to characterize the effects of music better, clarify the underlying mechanisms, and evaluate their translational relevance for humans.