EFFECT OF PRE-NATAL INTERMITTENT MONOTONOUS AND RHYTHMIC AUDITORY EXPOSURES ON BRAINSTEM NUCLEI PLASTICITY OF ONE DAY-OLD CHICK

Environmental auditory exposure in a form of both enrichment and stressor environmental can differently modulate the development of auditory system Prenatal chronic noise exposure caused neurogenesis and neuroplasticity disorders in the brain's auditory pathway resulting in neurocognitive impairment. Meanwhile exposure to prenatal music positively modifies morphological and biochemical developments in the brain's auditory pathway that supports neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. This study aimed to determine the plasticity of brainstem nuclei after exposure to music, noise, and a combination of both. This research used an experimental method using 24 female chicks as subjects. Subjects were obtained from eggs after incubation, which were divided into 4 groups: control, music, noise, and combined noise and music. Brain stem nuclear plasticity was measured by total number of nuclei, neuronal nuclear area, and synaptophysin expression as parameters. Prenatal music exposure significantly increased the total number of neurons, neuronal nuclear area, and synaptophysin expression in brain stem nuclei (p < 0.001), whereas combined and noise exposure significantly decreased these three plasticity parameters (p < 0.001). In conclusion, prenatal music exposure potential to increase neuroplasticity of brainstem nuclei for better neurocognitive function.