Mitigating the Impact of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic on Neuroscience and Music Research Protocols in Clinical Populations

Abstract

The COVID-19 disease and the systemic responses to it has impacted lives, routines and procedures at an unprecedented level. While medical care and emergency response present immediate needs, the implications of this pandemic will likely be far-reaching. Most practices that the clinical research within neuroscience and music field rely on, take place in hospitals or closely connected clinical settings which have been hit hard by the contamination. So too have its preventive and treatment measures. This means that clinical research protocols may have been altered, postponed or put in complete jeopardy. In this context, we would like to present and discuss the problems arising under the current crisis. We do so by critically approaching an online discussion facilitated by an expert panel in the field of music and neuroscience. This effort is hoped to provide an efficient basis to orient ourselves as we begin to map the needs and elements in this field of research as we further propose ideas and solutions on how to overcome, or at least ease the problems and questions we encounter or will encounter, with foresight. Among others, we hope to answer questions on technical or social problems that can be expected, possible solutions and preparatory steps to take in order to improve or ease research implementation, ethical implications and funding considerations. Finally, we further hope to facilitate the process of creating new protocols in order to minimize the impact of this crisis on essential research which may have the potential to relieve health systems.

French adaptation of a film music stimulus set: Normative emotional ratings of valence and arousal prompted by music excerpts

“…Based on these results, we can be confident that testing environments do not affect emotional judgments. This result is all the more interesting in view of the situation brought on by COVID-19, which has increasingly prompted researchers to perform tasks remotely (Papatzikis et al, 2020). In addition, using two dimensions rather than three and simplifying the response scales would limit comprehension problems, especially in clinical populations with comprehension disorders, and would make the tasks easier to administer.…”

The Impact of Music Intervention on COVID-19 Patients with Mental Disorders: A Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…Research on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that certain family activities, such as music and yoga, can promote mental health and minimize potential risks [51,52]. A survey from Italy, Spain, and other countries, showed that people who were isolated at home during COVID-19 lockdowns played music and sang together from open windows or balconies to help cope with emotional distress and social isolation [53]. Music intervention is safe, non-invasive, inexpensive, and devoid of any known side effects.…”

An Infant's Question on COVID-19 and Music: Should I Attend My Online Classes?

“…Musical creativity, however, was not manifested only through casual everyday expressions or some new, reconsidered clinical approaches (Papatzikis et al, 2020). It continued flourishing in the context of the online education settings, too.…”