# Impact of Classical Music Listening on Cognitive and Functional Performances in Middle-Aged Women
## 4 Discussion  
Our main findings revealed that listening to classical music ([PERSON]'s Symphony No. 41 \"Jupiter\" in C Major, K. 551) is effective in enhancing both functional and cognitive functions including functional mobility, aerobic endurance and attentional capacities. This is, to our knowledge, the first study investigating the impact of classical music on functional and cognitive functions among middle-aged women. One previous study examined the effect of such type of music on postural balance in this age group, concluding beneficial effects [20]. This effect is attributed to the connection between the auditory and balance systems in the peripheral receptors of the inner ear and the center nervous system [49; 50]. Musical interventions have been employed in various contexts, such as before or during exercise, and have been shown to boost motivation and effort improving performance [51; 52]. These improvements were explained by enhanced mood, higher exercise enjoyment and power feelings [53; 54; 55]. Similarly, it has been revealed that listening to music has positive effects on several physical performances including aerobic exercise (e.g., running, cycling), isometric exercise [56], functional strength [18; 54], muscular endurance and strength performance [9; 19]. Music gains were explained by the reduced perception of fatigue [57; 58] and increased arousal level and neural activity while listening to music, which promotes exercise performance [59]. One potential mechanism of action of music during exercise is linked to the increased release of excitatory neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin and endorphin), which can alleviate sensations of pain and exertion during exercise, leading to optimized physical performance [15; 60]. Overall, music has been considered a motivational factor that increases exercise adherence. Indeed, listening to music can stimulate pleasant memories, resulting in an increased motivation and sensation of pleasure during exercise [61]. However, following our results, music gains were absent for the strength performance in middle-aged women. Maybe considering another type of music or selecting a better evaluative test may have different results. Importantly, based on our statistical results, [PERSON]'s symphony was effective in enhancing cognitive function in terms of attention capacities. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. (2018) revealed that musical intervention (based on listening to classical ones) for 12 weeks, at a rate of 20 min/day, was beneficial for cognitive performance including (promoting executive function, attention, memory and psychomotor speed) in older adults [31]. The gains in cognitive functions thanks to music could be explained by stimulating the brain areas that are primarily associated with emotional processing and higher cognitive processes (like the limbic system and frontal lobes, respectively) [62; 63]. Similarly, it has been demonstrated that exposure to music has positive effects on the brain, particularly in terms of improved neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and the levels of neurotropes and neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine) levels [24; 25]. Previous studies suggested that listening to classical and/or familiar music can also regulate activity in brain structures involved in reward and emotional regulation, attention, behavioral responses and WM [26; 27; 28]. In contrast, our findings showed that listening to [PERSON]'s Symphony failed to improve WM. WM tasks are often more sensitive to specific cognitive loads and may not benefit equally from classical music as tasks involving simpler or more reactive cognitive processes [64]. It has been suggested that the complexity of WM tasks required a higher degree of focus and less external stimulation [65], which could explain why no significant differences were observed in our WM test (Corsi Block-Tapping Task). This study has some limits that need to be addressed in future research.