Neurologic Music Therapy in Sensorimotor Rehabilitation

Abstract

<p>Since the 1990s, a strong body of research evidence has set the foundation for the use of rhythm and music as important tools in the development, rehabilitation, and maintenance of sensorimotor function, particularly in the treatment of neurologic disorders. This chapter examines the connection between music and sensorimotor function, and the underlying neurological principles and mechanisms behind music perception, production, and cognition as they relate to motor function. The role of neurologic music therapy to facilitate functional movement is discussed with a variety of populations and movement disorders including: Parkinson’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, autism and healthy elderly. The chapter is divided into sections related to acquired movement disorders, degenerative diseases, and developmental disorders.</p>

Home-based neurologic music therapy for arm hemiparesis following stroke: results from a pilot, feasibility randomized controlled trial

“…The protocol of exercises and facilitating music designed for this study 9 and the published guidelines 8 for the intervention cannot eliminate all variables. Compared to previous, similar research, 5 , 6 the main variable is presented by the music therapist providing live, facilitating music for movement synchronization.…”

“… 9 The protocol includes detailed instructions for each motor pattern, or movement/movement sequence, and a different facilitating musical pattern for each. Precise periodicity of the pulse, an essential attribute of TIMP, 8 was ensured by the use of a metronome beat audible only to the researcher through an earpiece. Each participant was assessed in the first session by the researcher to determine the most appropriate motor patterns and tempo, with the latter initially set to each participant’s current movement frequency.…”

“… 7 More research is needed to establish the effects of music interventions on arm function, and with the majority of rehabilitation being delivered in patients’ homes it is useful to determine the feasibility of home-based treatment delivery and research. This article reports on the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial where a music intervention, for which there was a clear protocol based on published guidelines, 8 , 9 was delivered in a variety of home environments.…”

Musical dual-task training in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia: a randomized controlled trial

“…TDM includes six steps: Conducting an assessment, setting goals, designing a functional non-musical therapeutic exercise, translating the non-musical exercise into a musical exercise, reassessing, and transferring the therapeutic exercise to practice in functional daily living activities. 56 Following the steps of TDM, the primary investigator initially consulted literature to find a non-musical exercise that addresses the goal of attention control. Specifically, this non-musical exercise is dual-task training involving the performance of a physical task and a cognitive task at the same time.…”

Are We Doing More Than We Know? Possible Mechanisms of Response to Music Therapy

“…This circuit based approach can focus on movement, speech and language, and other cognitive processes such as memory. The practice known as Neurologic Music Therapy is based on neural mechanisms of cognitive processes ( 23 ). Level's 3 and 4 presented next are more speculative and for purposes of clarity for music therapy are simplified here.…”