Music therapy as a preventive intervention for postpartum depression: modulation of synaptic plasticity, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a mouse model

Postpartum depression (PPD) significantly impacts women's mental health and social functioning, yet effective therapies remain limited. This study investigates the preventive effects of music therapy on PPD-like behaviors and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms in a mouse model subjected to ovarian hormone withdrawal (HW). Mice exposed to daily music sessions exhibited markedly reduced depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, as evidenced by enhanced performance in behavioral tests such as the open field test (OFT), forced swim test (FST), elevated plus maze test (EPM), sucrose preference test (SPT), novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, and tail suspension test (TST). Furthermore, music therapy normalized oxidative stress indicators (NO, MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, T-AOC, ATP, and glutamate) in the serum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Additionally, music exposure reduced levels of proinflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, and TGF-β) and the activation of microglia and astrocytes in these brain regions. Notably, music therapy preserved neuronal integrity, promoted neurogenesis, and maintained synaptic plasticity, evidenced by the restoration of dendritic spines. Transcriptome sequencing identified differential gene expression in pathways related to synaptic plasticity, inflammation, and oxidative stress. These findings suggest that music therapy prevents PPD by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and synaptic integrity, providing robust preclinical evidence for its potential as a natural preventive intervention for PPD. This study underscores the need for further clinical research to validate the therapeutic efficacy of music in preventing PPD in humans, highlighting its promise as a non-invasive and accessible treatment modality.