Music and Medicine

On the Wings of The Song: Experiences of Participants in a Dementia Choir

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose: This study takes a unique approach by delving into the subjective experiences of individuals with dementia who engage in dementia choirs. We aim to explore how individuals with dementia perceive and experience participation in a dementia choir.

Methodology: A qualitative approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with dementia choir participants to gather insights into their experiences and perceptions. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes.

Results: The study revealed four key themes: the significance of a secure environment, the influence of prior musical experience, the positive impact of choir participation, and the choir as a community for social interaction and self-development. Participants reported feeling safer, more joyful, and socially connected, with choir activities providing a sense of purpose and belonging.

Conclusion: The study concludes that participation in dementia choirs positively impacts emotional well-being and social inclusion. These findings strongly suggest that choirs could be valuable to dementia care, offering non-pharmacological benefits that promote meaningful engagement.

Keywords: Dementia, dementia choir, quality of life, social engagement, music therapy.

A one-minute singing bowl intervention reduces subjective arousal compared with binaural beats, pink noise, and silence

Katrin Starcke, Richard von Georgi, Catherine Wersuhn — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Listening to a singing bowl has been used in therapeutic and everyday settings to decrease arousal, anxiety, negative affect, and to increase positive affect and overall wellbeing. In the current study it was tested whether a one-minute exposure to a singing bowl sound in an online setting reduces arousal and negative affect and increases positive affect. Overall, 92 participants were randomly assigned to listening either to a one-minute singing bowl sound, binaural beat, pink noise, or silence. Current affect and arousal were measured with the Positive and Negative Affect schedule and the Self-Assessment Manikin before and after listening in the respective condition. In addition, personality was assessed. Results indicated that arousal significantly decreased after singing bowl listening, whereas the other three conditions had no such effect. Positive and negative affect did not change after the sound exposure in any of the experimental conditions. Personality traits were unrelated with affect and arousal after listening to the respective sound condition. We conclude that listening to a one-minute sample of a singing bowl presented in an online setting can significantly reduce subjective arousal whereas affective changes may need a longer and potentially a face-to-face intervention.

Receptive music therapy with Raga Hamsadhwani for anxiolysis and ease of awake fiberoptic intubation: a case series

Dr. Farah Husain , Divya Gahlot, Dr. Sonia Wadhawan , Dr. Sujata Mohanty — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

: Providing sedation during procedures plays an important role in improving clinical outcomes by producing anxiolysis. Some patients presenting with a difficult airway due to reduced mouth opening caused by temporomandibular joint ankylosis, oral tumours, and submucous fibrosis require general anesthesia for surgery. However, since these patients have an anticipated difficult airway, they require an awake fibreoptic intubation before general anesthesia can be administered. Managing an awake fibreoptic intubation is challenging since a fine balance between patient comfort and safety has to be maintained. Ideal sedation should ensure good patient comfort, smooth intubating conditions, and stable hemodynamic parameters without respiratory depression. Receptive music therapy is an innovative technique that may be used during awake procedures to improve patient comfort and reduce their anxiety. However, it has never been used to provide patient cooperation and comfort during awake fibreoptic intubations. We used an instrumental version of Indian Raga Hamsadhwani in five cases of anticipated difficult airway to provide sedation during awake fibreoptic intubation. We report comfortable, cooperative and sedated patients with successful first attempt intubations in all of them.

Improving Guitar Strumming Mechanics in Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Series Using a Forearm Stabilization Device

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) impairs motor coordination, presenting challenges for activities requiring fine motor control, such as playing the guitar. Strumming the guitar, a rhythmic and coordinated task, can serve to enhance motor skills, yet motor symptoms such as tremors and rigidity often interfere. This case series examined the influence of a forearm stabilization device, the Strum Perfect™, in improving strumming mechanics in PD patients.

Methods: A case series of four PD patients (mean age: 71.8 years, SD: 8.7; three women) was conducted. Participants performed standardized strumming tasks at 60, 90, and 120 beats per minute (bpm) with and without the adaptation. Strumming dynamics were assessed using a wrist-mounted motion sensor capturing forearm and wrist movements. The orbit coefficient (∆ϕ/∆θ), a metric of wrist-to-elbow coordination, was calculated. Changes in motion patterns were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results: The Strum Perfect™ adaptation demonstrated its greatest impact at 60 bpm, with the mean orbit coefficient increasing from 1.0 (SD: 0.3) to 1.7 (SD: 0.8) (p = 0.06). At higher tempos, the orbit coefficient showed modest changes, increasing from 1.3 (SD: 0.4) to 1.5 (SD: 0.5) at 90 bpm (p = 0.06) and from 1.4 (SD: 0.4) to 1.6 (SD: 0.7) at 120 bpm (p = 0.27).

Conclusions: The Strum Perfect™ guitar adaptation enhances wrist-to-elbow coordination, particularly at slower tempos, offering potential benefits for music therapy in PD. By improving strumming mechanics, the adaptation may lower barriers to learning guitar, promoting motor rehabilitation and engagement in music learning. Further research is needed to validate these findings in a larger cohort of PD patients and explore long-term outcomes.

Music in health care continuum: A guide to our practices within a large hospital system in the United States

Jennifer D Townsend, Patricia Winter, Virginia Gray, Shay Thornton-Kulha — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Music is increasingly recognized as a potent tool in healthcare, providing both therapeutic and environmental benefits. However, inconsistent terminology and varying levels of integration have created confusion among healthcare teams. This article addresses the need for standardized vocabulary to enhance collaboration among multidisciplinary teams and clarify the diverse roles of music in patient care.

Based on a review of literature and hospital programming, we define six categories: Music Therapy Guided Programming (MTGP), Music Experiences (ME), Music Integration (MI), Music Medicine (MM), Music-Assisted Interventions (MAIs), and Music Therapy (MT). These categories form a continuum from clinical to non-clinical, differentiated by engagement level, provider role, training requirements, and impact on patient care. The proposed continuum serves as a shared framework for interdisciplinary collaboration, clearly delineating the roles of music therapists, nurses, physicians, artists-in-residence, and volunteers. This delineation reduces role confusion and ensures the appropriate and safe utilization of services. This model facilitates clinical decision-making by aligning interventions with patient acuity and therapeutic objectives.

Additionally, the framework supports administrators in developing policies, staffing models, and funding strategies that prioritize patient safety and professional standards, advocating for the thoughtful allocation of resources and the integration of music services within institutional care plans. We encourage healthcare leaders and arts-in-health professionals to evaluate the use of music in their organizations and explore collaborative, educational, and research opportunities.

By offering a comprehensive overview of various music interventions, this paper aims to provide clarity on the multifaceted role of music in healthcare, guiding providers in selecting appropriate approaches tailored to patient needs. The proposed framework aims to enhance the integration of music therapy and related practices, promote advocacy for music’s inclusion in care plans, and foster a collaborative approach to delivering music-based interventions across healthcare settings.

Building on the Foundation

Ralph Spintge, Amy Clements-Cortés — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The journal you are reading today originated from the vision and dedication of Dr. Joanne Loewy, whose passion and perseverance established a foundation for interdisciplinary, science‑based, peer‑reviewed communication about Music and Medicine on a global scale...