Study Does Music Help People with Alzheimer's?

How does music affect people with Alzheimer's??

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that negatively affects patients' memory and thinking ability. The effects of the disease are getting worse and over time, leading to those affected eventually losing the ability to perform even the simplest tasks. Researchers now found that music leads to activation of regions of the brain that are not yet affected by the disease.

The University of Utah Health scientists found in their current research that music can be beneficial to people with Alzheimer's disease. Through music, even healthy regions of the brain are increasingly activated. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease".

Alzheimer's leads to strong fears

In their study, the experts examined how music-based treatments to relieve anxiety in patients with dementia are suitable. People with dementia face a strange world that causes disorientation and anxiety, says study author Professor Jeff Anderson of the University of Utah Health in a press release. The scientists suspect that music can affect the so-called salience network, which despite the disease still works relatively well.

Music awakens old memories

Previous studies have already shown that regular physical activity can help older people with Alzheimer's. For example, a 2007 study has shown that music evokes memories that are already considered lost. When patients listened to popular old songs, they suddenly began to sing along or dance, explain the scientists.

Patients themselves chose popular songs

Researchers helped participants select meaningful songs during the exam, and then trained patients and caregivers on how to use a portable media player to store their chosen tunes.

How did the music affect the brain??

The physicians found in their study that music activates the brain and lets entire regions communicate with each other. By listening to the personal playlist of music, the visual network, the salience network, and the executive network demonstrated significantly higher functional connectivity, the researchers report. The cerebellum and the so-called cortico-cerebellar network had also been positively influenced.

Further research is needed

It is still unclear whether the effects identified in this study will persist beyond a short period of stimulation or whether other areas of memory or mood can be improved over the long term by changes in neural activation and connectivity. Further research on this topic should now be carried out in order to better understand the effects that occur, the researchers conclude. (As)