Objective: The present study was aimed to examine the effects of perinatal music exposure on the motor coordination and activity of rat pups.

Material and Method: Wistar albino rats were exposed to different types of music (metal, classical, sufi) from gestational day 10 to birth and from postnatal day 2 to postnatal day 21 for 1h/day. Music preferences were done by taking stress or calmness factor into consideration. On the weaning period, motor coordination tests such as wire rod, visual placing, righting reflex, inclined screen, beam walking, and rotarod tests were applied to the both male and female rat pups.

Results: Female pups in the metal group had significantly higher duration of hanging in wire rod test compared to male pups in the metal group and other music groups. In inclined screen test, male pups in the classical group had delayed on reaching top compared to male pups in the control group. Female pups in the classical group had longer time to reach at the end point compared to female pups in the control group. In this test, both female and male pups in the sufi group had shorter time to cross the beam. Male pups in the classical and the metal groups had lower performance than male pups in the control group.

Conclusion: Results showed that exposure to metal music during pregnancy enhanced motor coordination in females but showed decrease performance in male pups. While classical music caused delays on starting an action and reaching at the end, sufi music enhanced motor functions on both sexes.