Neurobiological Aspects of Neurologic Music Therapy.

Authors

  • Eckart Altenmüller MD, MA
  • Gottfried Schlaug MD, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v5i4.222

Abstract

Making music is a powerful way of engaging multisensory and motor networks, inducing changes within these networks and linking together distant brain regions. These multimodal effects of music making together with music’s ability to tap into the emotion and reward system in the brain can be used to facilitate therapy and rehabilitation of neurological disorders. In this article, we review short- and long-term effects of listening to music and making music on functional networks and structural components of the brain. The specific influence of music on the developing brain is emphasized and possible transfer effects on emotional and cognitive processes are discussed. Furthermore, we present data on the potential of music making to support and facilitate neurorehabilitation. We focus on interventions such as melodic intonation therapy and music-supported motor rehabilitation to showcase the effects of neurologic music therapies and discuss their underlying neural mechanisms.

Author Biographies

Eckart Altenmüller, MD, MA

Institute of Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine (IMMM), University of Music, Drama and Media, Hanover, Germany.

Eckart Altenmüller, MD, MA, is the chair of the Institute of Music Physiology and Musician’s Medicine at the University of Music, Drama and Media in Hannover.

Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD, is the director of the ‘‘Music and Neuroimaging laboratory’’ of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Downloads

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 4 (2013): Special Issue: Neurobiological Aspects of Music and Music Therapy

Section

Full Length Articles