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According to an Israeli study, the sounds of Mozart might help slow premature infants’ metabolism, helping them to put on weight.

Israeli researchers looked at the potential effects of Mozart on 20 premature but healthy infants’ resting metabolism, based on the premise that lower metabolism might explain the increased weight gain studies have attributed to music.

The researchers found on average the infants’ metabolism slowed by up to 13 percent within 10 to 30 minutes of listening to a “Baby Mozart” CD.

Based on a report in the journal Pediatrics, it is unclear whether the study has detected a “Mozart effect” or a potential benefit of music in general.

However, they said that a previous study of adults with seizures found that compositions by Mozart, more so than other classical composers, appeared to lower seizure frequency.

Researcher Dr. Ronit Lubetzky of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said it was possible that the proposed Mozart effect on the brain is related to the structure of his compositions as Mozart’s music tends to repeat the melodic line more frequently.