Objective : It is known that postpartum blues is a major risk factor for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated with language skills, behavior problems and learning skills of their children. Therefore, it is very important to evalu...
Objective : It is known that postpartum blues is a major risk factor for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated with language skills, behavior problems and learning skills of their children. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate and control the postpartum blues. Recent studies have found that music has an effect on depressive mood and the frontal EEG asymmetry of the people with depression. The goal of this study was to find out the effects of music on the frontal EEG asymmetry of the mothers with postpartum blues.
Methods : Among one hundred and seventy mothers assessed with Korean version of EPDS (Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale), nine mothers with postpartum blues (EPDS≥10) and nine non-depressive mothers (EPDS<10) were included. Ten non-labored, non-depressive women were included as normal control group. Subjects performed STAI-X1 (State Trait anxiety inventory), VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and K-DACL (Depression Adjective Checklist-Korean version) to assess the severity of depression and anxiety, and EEG was recorded for 5 minutes to assess left and right frontal alpha power. Following the EEG recording, subjects had a resting time for 5 minutes and the music session for 20 minutes 32 seconds. At the end of the music session, EEG was recorded for 5 minute and STAI-X1, VAS and K-DACL were checked again. Using the EEG alpha power data at sites F3 and F4, A1 score (log R- log L) were computed within all groups.
Results : No significant differences were noted in demographic data among all three groups. Before the music session, postpartum blues group had higher scores compared to the other groups in STAI-X1, VAS and K-DACL. Postpartum blues group had lower A1 scores compared to normal controls. After the music session, there was a change of A1 score to positive way in all groups but the change of A1 score only in postpartum blues group was statistically significant.
Conclusion : This study suggests that the mothers with postpartum blues have a frontal EEG asymmetry and music shifts this asymmetry to symmetry.