Music and Medicine

The Integration of Music and Arts, Medicine and Health

Suzanne Hanser — 2025-01-31

It is with delight that I introduce the third in a series of special issues of Music & Medicine devoted to “Music and Arts in Medicine and Health: Joint Congress of the International Association for Music & Medicine and the International Society for Arts and Medicine.”...

Plenary session 5: Artistic expression and cultural perspectives in healthcare and community

Lisa Wong — 2025-01-31

The following is an edited transcript of Plenary Session 5, "Artistic Expression and Cultural perspectives in Healthcare and Community," which took place at “The Future of Music and Arts in Medicine and Health: Joint Congress of the International Association for Music & Medicine and the International Society for Arts & Medicine” in Berlin, Germany, on September 21, 2024.

International experts at the 2nd Science & Sounds Conference recommend increased use of music therapy in pain medicine

Dorothee von Moreau — 2025-01-31

This article sums up the results of the 2nd Science & Sounds Conference 2024 in Hamburg, Germany on Music Interventions in Pain Medicine and Musicians’ Health. The experts panel focused on the further development of music therapy and also presented recommendations to health policy makers for the increased implementation of music therapy in these fields.

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Diary analysis of an RCT: Natural language analyses of gamma-music-based intervention

Benjamin M. Kubit — 2025-01-31

Recent findings in Alzheimer’s disease research has suggested that light entrainment in the form of gamma-band (40 Hz) stimulation can ameliorate Alzheimer’s-associated pathology and improve cognition. Here we report feasibility of a music-based intervention that is coupled with light entrainment in the gamma band, as well as a control intervention that pairs podcast listening with lights tuned to delta but not gamma band frequencies. We compare qualitative data from participant-maintained logbooks (diaries) and researcher notes using Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods, specifically word count and sentiment analysis, and show that both music-listening and podcast-listening participants spent a similar amount of time engaging with intervention and, on average, described positively valenced experiences. Results suggest the importance of naturalistic data obtained from diary studies as a snapshot of ongoing interventions.

A byte for arts: Digital applications meet artistic expressions

Thomas Ostermann — 2025-01-31

The use of artistic expression for diagnostics and therapy has a long tradition, which already started a century ago with psychological assessment tools using drawings to explore personality traits and inner emotions. With the advent of technical and digital achievements, these methods were adapted and integrated in corresponding therapeutic systems. This article outlines the relationship of arts and information technology from the very beginning in the fields of clinical and educational applications and human interaction aspects and gives examples of current developments. In particular, it illustrates the use of digital tools which focus on the process evaluation of arts therapies such as digital drawing applications to analyze the drawing process as a tool for the prediction of Alzheimer’s disease, or a digital device to analyze movement patterns in a landscaping task to investigate depressive moods. From a methodological point of view, these methods which integrate qualitative and quantitative research methods can be used to evaluate the impact of creative arts therapies even in small patient samples which is shown in two examples. Finally, critical questions on the impact of digitalization are addressed and an outlook towards future developments particularly in the field of music therapy is given.

Music in the brain: Baby steps towards inclusive practices in empirical data collection in the neurosciences of music

Mari Tervaniemi — 2025-01-31

Empirical studies in the neuroscience of music have been systematically conducted since early 1990. In most cases, experimental control has been emphasized, and the data collection has relied on laboratory-based methods. Yet, more recently, also more naturalistic, ecologically valid paradigms and contexts of data collection have been taken into use. In this review, this development will be discussed with emphasis on two essential parts of the studies: First, study participants, and, secondly, methods and contexts of data acquisition. The far-reaching aim of this review is to reach an inclusive approach in studies, which, for several reasons, has been lacking in prior literature.

MusiMentes: Home-based musical interventions for people with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia, a randomized controlled trial protocol

Camila F. Pfeiffer — 2025-01-31

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia (MD) represent a growing challenge in Latin America, with an estimated prevalence between 11-28% in people over 65 years. Musical interventions have shown potential benefits for cognitive functioning and emotional well-being in this population. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the "MusiMentes" home-based musical intervention protocol on cognitive functioning and emotional well-being in patients with MCI and MD, as well as its impact on the patient-caregiver relationship. Methods: Single-blind, randomized controlled trial with 50 outpatients (50-80 years) diagnosed with MCI or MD and their primary caregivers. The experimental group will perform active and personalized musical interventions ("MusiMentes"), while the control group will engage in passive music listening, both for 30 minutes, three times per week for 12 weeks. Cognitive functioning (MOCA, MIS), executive functions (TMT, DST), emotional well-being (EADG, PANAS, WHOQOL-BREF, VAMS-R), and patient-caregiver relationship (SQCRC) will be evaluated at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Relevance: This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of home-based musical interventions in early stages of cognitive decline, contributing to the development of accessible and personalized therapeutic strategies in the Latin American context.