Music improves social communication and auditory–motor connectivity in children with autism

Abstract

Music has been identified as a strength in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder; however, there is currently no neuroscientific evidence supporting its benefits. Given its universal appeal, intrinsic reward value and ability to modify brain and behaviour, music may be a potential therapeutic aid in autism. Here we evaluated the neurobehavioural outcomes of a music intervention, compared to a non-music control intervention, on social communication and brain connectivity in school-age children (ISRCTN26821793). Fifty-one children aged 6–12 years with autism were randomized to receive 8–12 weeks of music (n = 26) or non-music intervention (n = 25). The music intervention involved use of improvisational approaches through song and rhythm to target social communication. The non-music control was a structurally matched behavioural intervention implemented in a non-musical context. Groups were assessed before and after intervention on social communication and resting-state functional connectivity of fronto-temporal brain networks. Communication scores were higher in the music group post-intervention (difference score = 4.84, P = .01). Associated post-intervention resting-state brain functional connectivity was greater in music vs. non-music groups between auditory and subcortical regions (z = 3.94, P < .0001) and auditory and fronto-motor regions (z = 3.16, P < .0001). Post-intervention brain connectivity was lower between auditory and visual regions in the music compared to the non-music groups, known to be over-connected in autism (z = 4.01, P < .00001). Post-intervention brain connectivity in the music group was related to communication improvement (z = 3.57, P < .0001). This study provides the first evidence that 8–12 weeks of individual music intervention can indeed improve social communication and functional brain connectivity, lending support to further investigations of neurobiologically motivated models of music interventions in autism.

An Exploratory Study of Imagining Sounds and “Hearing” Music in Autism

“…These results from Heaton et al (1999) suggest that emotional valence cues are equivalently available for ASD individuals and typically developing individuals (Molnar-Szakacs and Heaton 2012). Music is also successfully employed as a therapeutic tool amongst this population (Geretsegger et al 2014;Janzen and Thaut 2018;Sharda et al 2018). Forms of music therapy have been reported to aid people with severe ASD significantly improve in musical skill in different ways, such as short/long melody recall and rhythm reproduction (Boso et al 2007).…”

Evaluation of the Educational Program for Mothers and Its Effect on Knowledge and Practice Towards Their Children With Autism in Qassim Region

“…Table(5) indicates that there are satisfactory levels of autism child skills regarding Risk, self-harm and Isolation after the educational program implementation for their mothers compared with unsatisfactory level before educational program implementation. Also, the table indicates that there are statistically significant differences for all skills.…”

Survey of the Home Music Environment of Children with Various Developmental Profiles

“…The OtherDD group included children with a variety of disorders including disorders with significant speech and motor deficits (e.g., Angelman syndrome [Williams et al, 2010]) or motor impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy), and non-syndromic developmental delay (which can include speech and motor delays). Many children with ASD also exhibit speech and motor difficulties, including challenges with motor coordination and auditory-motor integration (Isenhower et al, 2012;Kauer et al, 2018;Sharda et al, 2018). At the same time, motor and speech delays are also common in young children with WS and DS (Kent & Vorperian, 2013;Mervis et al, 2011), suggesting that impairments in these domains may not fully account for the diagnostic differences in these types of musical engagement.…”