Resources & references

This case report highlights how neurologic music therapy supported the interdisciplinary rehabilitation of a severely injured American service member, improving physical, cognitive, speech, and language skills while offering emotional support.

This feasability study explores the effects of short-term individual music therapy sessions among adults with substance use disorder (SUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results show that music therapy can reduce hyperarousal and increase self-regulation, attention, and cognitive functioning in this population.

This article explores music therapy models that enhance neurorehabilitaiton among service members with brain injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Music therapist Beatriz Vilche explains what neurologic music therapy (NMT) is, who it can help, and shares examples of NMT techniques.

This research article explains the scientific basis of Neurologic Music Therapy. In this music therapy approach, trained professionals use rhythm and auditory perception to enhance physical, cognitive, speech, and language rehabilitation along clients with various diagnoses such as Parkinson's disease and aphasia.

Modern music therapy, starting around the middle of the twentieth century was primarily conceived to promote emotional well-being and to facilitate social group association and integration. Therefore, it was rooted mostly in social science concepts. More recently, music as therapy began to move decidedly toward perspectives of neuroscience. This has been facilitated by the advent of neuroimaging techniques that help uncover the therapeutic mechanisms for non-musical goals in the brain processes underlying music perception, cognition, and production. In this paper, we focus on executive function (EF) and attentional processes (AP) that are central for cognitive rehabilitation efforts. To this end, we summarize existing behavioral as well as neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies in musicians, non-musicians, and clinical populations. 

Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition that affects movement, among other skills. Kerry Willis, a board certified music therapist, explains how neurologic music therapy enhances neurorehablitation through movement, singing, and instrument playing.

Music-based interventions (MBIs) are emerging as a new potential treatment strategy for neurologic and psychiatric patient populations, as they are safe, economic, and can be creatively tailored to meet specific functional goals. MBIs are typically selected and delivered by a credentialed music therapist based on empirically supported models and can involve active (improvisation, singing, clapping, or dancing) and/or receptive (purposeful music listening to identify emotional content emerging from music) techniques. Mechanistically, MBIs appear to engage both cortical and subcortical areas governing attention, working memory, planning, and flexibility and can modulate these areas over time.

Listen to music therapist Marcela Lichtensztejn describe music therapy, including its therapeutic benefits, how it can be applied clinically, who it can benefit, and how it can affect the brain. 

Review of current literature on sound, movement, and rhythmic auditory information showing that it can improve movement execution, control, and relearning processes in sports and motor rehabilitation.

This book brings knowledge of the arts and the sciences and a review about the brain and music, specifically rhythm. It provides a thorough examination of research, including the biomedical applications of neurological music therapy, a system of techniques applied in sensorimotor speech and cognitive rehabilitation.

Testimonial of a gentleman who participated in music therapy after experiencing a dirt bike accident. He explains how music therapy helped his neurorehabilitation, such as walking, and memory skills.

Click here to watch an interview explaining this video further.