Resources & references

Read about facilitators and barriers to the development and integration of an inpatient music therapy program for neurorehabilitation, from the perspective of patients, family members, and various health care professionals.

Dr. Jeanette Tamplin, professor, researcher, and Registered Music Therapist, explains how music therapy helps with neurorehabilitation among people with neurologic conditions and injuries.

Click here to watch the video referenced in this interview.

Click here to reference the study by Dr. Jeanette Tamplin referenced in this interview.

This pilot controlled prospective and cohort trial assessed feasibility and effects of twice-weekly group West African drum circle classes for 6 weeks on Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients’ quality of life, symptoms, motor findings, cognition, and mood. Drum circle classes significantly and reversibly improved quality of life in patients with PD.

Read an article looking at the effectiveness of a music therapy protocol as an adjunct treatment to standard neurorehabilitation programs for children with severe neurological disorders affecting multiple domains.

Read an article exploring the use of collaborative music therapy and speech-language therapy sessions on language/communication rehabilitation for pediatric populations with acquired brain injuries. Findings showed that these collaborative sessions fostered engagement, strengthened foundational communication skills, and promoted greater communication intent. 

Read a case study exploring the impact of a familiar song, presented by a credentialed music therapist, on arousal and awareness in an 11 year old child with an acute disorder of consciousness. Results showed more signs of arousal and awareness during the song condition, as compared to a spoken word and a white-noise condition. 

Click here to read a summary of this study.

Research conducted at the University of Melbourne demonstrates that familiar songs can stimulate brain responses that other stimuli cannot in children with severe brain injuries. This article suggests that music therapy can facilitate neurorehabilitation and speed recovery.

Click here to read the study referenced in this article.

Read a scoping review on the use of music therapy in pediatric neurodisability. Results indicated that music therapy is effective both as a stand-alone treatment and in interprofessional teams within this population, and targets a wide range of domains of function.

Click here to listen to a podcast about the article / Cliquez ici pour écouter un balado a propos de l'article.

Read a plain language summary of an article discussing the use of music therapy in pediatric neurodisability.

Click here to read the original article.

Listen to Karen Twyford discuss her scoping review on the use of music therapy in pediatric neurodisability.

Click here to read the article being discussed.

This article reviews current knowledge to guide future neuroimaging studies on the therapeutic effects of rhythm and music-based interventions for motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

This article summarizes many ways in which music therapy is used in medical institutions. Testimonials from patients and interviews with therapists are featured.