The Neurobiological Foundation of Neurologic Music Therapy

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  • A. Blythe LaGasse PhD, MT-BC
  • Michael H. Thaut PhD

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https://doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v5i4.217

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Neurologic music therapy (NMT) is a specific methodology of music therapy that is based on neuroscience models of music perception and production. Codified NMT techniques are developed out of basic and applied research on the unique effects of music on the brain. The distributed nature of neuronal networks for music processing in the brain, combined with the precise temporal processing ability of the auditory system, makes music a valuable tool for rehabilitation of sensorimotor, communication, and cognitive functions. A large number of clinical studies have demonstrated that music stimuli applied systematically can yield functional outcomes in persons with stroke, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. The purpose of this article is to explain the neurobiological foundation of NMT and explore relevant research in clinical populations.

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Center for Biomedical Research in Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

A. Blythe LaGasse, PhD, MT-BC, is a coordinator and an assistant professor of music therapy at Colorado State University.

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Center for Biomedical Research in Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Michael H. Thaut, PhD, is the director of the Center for Biomedical Research in Music at Colorado State University.

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##issue.vol## 5 ##issue.no## 4 (2013): Special Issue: Neurobiological Aspects of Music and Music Therapy

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