Photo: Alzheimer’s brain | By StudyFinds Staff | What happens in the brain when music meets memory? For people with advanced dementia, who often experience significant distress, this question could hold the key to better treatment. A new British study has uncovered how music therapy can effectively reduce distress and improve well-being for people with advanced dementia in institutional settings.
These findings, published in Nature Mental Health, shed light on one of healthcare’s most pressing challenges. Among the estimated one million people living with dementia in the UK, over half are diagnosed with advanced dementia, requiring specialized care that often leads to placement in institutional settings like care homes or specialized hospital units. Patient distress can manifest as agitation, wandering, or resistance to care. Managing these behaviors becomes crucial, as they significantly impact both the individual’s quality of life and the ability of caregivers to provide effective care.
Music therapy, delivered by trained and registered professionals, has emerged as a promising intervention. Unlike casual music listening or entertainment, music therapy involves structured sessions where therapists engage patients in meaningful musical experiences. A typical session might include singing familiar songs, playing simple instruments, or moving to music. These activities can be conducted one-on-one or in small groups, allowing therapists to tailor their approach to each individual’s needs and abilities.
“With an aging population and increasing numbers of people diagnosed with dementia, music is a relatively straightforward and cost-effective way of improving the quality of life of those affected,” explains lead author Naomi Thompson of Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, in a statement.
Using a research method called a realist review, which examines not just whether an intervention works but how and why it works in different contexts, the research team analyzed decades of evidence. They examined 11 systematic reviews, 29 peer-reviewed research articles, and numerous policy documents and professional reports. The study included interviews with staff and music therapists about inpatient mental health dementia wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, along with a national survey of healthcare professionals. The researchers also collaborated with the dementia specialist nursing charity Dementia UK.
Their findings revealed that when music therapy is designed to meet individual needs, it can deliver immediate, short-term reductions in agitation and anxiety while improving attention, engagement, alertness, and mood. Musical interactions help people feel safer and more oriented in their surroundings, which can lower levels of distress and improve wellbeing.
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This study, titled “How and why music therapy reduces distress and improves well-being in advanced dementia care: a realist review,” was published in Nature Mental Health (Volume 2, December 2024, pages 1532-1542). The research was conducted by a team led by Naomi Thompson, with contributions from researchers at multiple UK institutions.
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/familiar-songs-reduce-dementia-patients-anxiety-trigger-lost-memories/
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Memories Of Music Cannot Be Lost During Various Stages Of Alzheimer’s Disease
By Brittany Hambleton, The Hearty Soul
Slide show: Have you ever heard a song that you really enjoy and experience a physical reaction, like chills, or what feels like a tingling sensation in your brain or your scalp, as you listened to it? That physical response is thanks to the salience network of your brain. When you listen to a piece of music that you particularly love, your brain has what’s called an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR.
This little buzz is like a natural reward for your brain. It is widely reported to be accompanied by feelings of relaxation and well-being. Whispering, crisp sounds, and slow movements have also been used to achieve ASMR. Studies conducted on ASMR have associated it with relaxation and a reduced heart rate and may have therapeutic benefits for both mental and physical health.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/memories-of-music-cannot-be-lost-during-various-stages-of-alzheimer-s-disease/
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[COMBO Editor: Personal note: Since my own step-father had Alzheimer’s, I knew how stressful it can be on caregivers. So I asked a friend if I could take his mother for a couple of hours for a drive to get some ice cream and to give him a break. I took along a CD I had that I thought she might like. When we got to Sonic and got our ice cream, I put on Glenn Miller and the song “In the Mood” came up. The mom, who had said absolutely nothing during our ride, all of a sudden blurted out, “We should get up and DANCE!” I replied, “Let’s!” But she said, “Well, not here!” and we both had a good laugh. We finished our snack but she never said another word the rest of the trip. That’s why I find research regarding Music and Alzheimer’s so important.]