Music Therapy for Neurological Disorders Review

Abstract

Nearly 1 billion people worldwide are affected by neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Several of these disorders are most common in the geriatric population and still do not have effective cures. In recent years, there has been an increase in supplementary treatment methods such as music therapy for these disorders. Clinical depression which affects individuals of all age ranges might also be alleviated with music therapy. Music therapy is defined as the use of music to treat the physical, emotional and social needs of an individual. This could involve playing an instrument, singing or dancing, or simply listening to music. It triggers parts of the brain associated with emotion, motor skills, and memory retention with the intention of improving the affected individual’s deteriorating condition. This article reviews three neurological conditions: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Clinical Depression, and compares the clinical effects of different types of music therapy on all three of them. Research has shown that patients performed better on standardized clinical assessments that measured their motor skills, anxiety, and happiness levels, after undergoing music therapy. However, more studies are still needed to assess what combinations of musical therapy techniques improve symptoms the greatest and the time frame needed for long-lasting changes. It is also important to compare how the benefits of music therapy are similar or different among patients of different age ranges. With this information, we can improve existing music therapy techniques and understand what types of intervention would best suit patients, apart from their prescribed medication.