Resources & references

Watch a certified music therapist and her client make music together to promote recovery from speech and physical impairments post-stroke. 

This research article investigates who how music therapy and physical therapy can benefit individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). It demonstrates how these types of therapies can enhance rehabilitation, treat symptoms, decrease the use of medication, and improve overall wellbeing.

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.

Read how music-based interventions can be used as a treatment strategy for neurologic and psychiatric patients. These interventions can target 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.

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.

Read about the neuroscience supporting the use of music, and, more specifically, neurologic music therapy, to target non-musical tasks in neurorehabilitation and neurodevelopment.

Read an article reporting on the first phase of the assessment of a new tool, the music therapy sensory instrument for cognition, consciousness, and awareness (MuSICCA), used for assessing awareness and consciousness in pediatric disorders of consciousness (DoC). Raters agreed that MuSICCA's appears to be effective in assessing consciousness and awareness, and is suitable for use with children and young people.

This research article investigates how music therapy influences the mood levels of adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic brain injury (TB), and other types of brain injuries. The results demonstrated that participants had elevated mood levels after engaging in individual music therapy sessions.

This study examines how music can serve as a mnemonic to improve memory recognition in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Watch how music therapy helped a young girl with Kawasaki Disease Shock Syndrome improve her physical abilities and quality of life. Hear from her mother and music therapist, Christy Merrell, as they reflect on her journey and progress.