Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K.448 (Mozart K.448), has been shown 
to improve mental function, leading to what is known as the Mozart Effect. Our 
previous work revealed that epileptiform discharges in children with epilepsy 
decrease during and right after listening to Mozart K.448. However, the duration 
of the effect was not studied. In the study described here, we evaluated the 
long-term effect of Mozart K.448 on epileptiform discharges in children with 
epilepsy. Eighteen children with epilepsy whose seizures were clinically well 
controlled with antiepileptic drugs were included. For each child, EEGs had 
revealed persistent epileptiform discharges for at least 6 months. These 
patients listened to Mozart K.448 for 8 minutes once a day before bedtime for 6 
months. Epileptiform discharges were recorded and compared before and after 1, 
2, and 6 months of listening to Mozart K.448. All of the children remained on 
the same antiepileptic drug over the 6 months. Relationships between number of 
epileptiform discharges and foci of discharges, intelligence, epilepsy etiology, 
age, and gender were analyzed. Epileptiform discharges significantly decreased 
by 53.2±47.4, 64.4±47.1, and 71.6±45.8%, respectively, after listening to Mozart 
K.448 for 1, 2, and 6 months. All patients except those with occipital 
discharges showed a significant decrease in epileptiform discharges. Patients 
with normal intelligence and idiopathic epilepsy had greater decreases than 
those with mental retardation and symptomatic epilepsy. Age and gender did not 
affect the results. We conclude that long-term listening to Mozart K.448 may be 
effective in decreasing epileptiform discharges in children with epilepsy in a 
chronologically progressive manner.