Music
Therapy for People with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease
Music
may benefit the four million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s
and could potentially help many of the one million Americans with
Parkinson’s disease, according to several studies that have looked
at music therapy’s effect on memory and other mental activities.
One study, conducted at the University of California, Irvine,
found that people with Alzheimer’s who listened to a Mozart sonata
greatly improved their scores on memory tests. Some researchers
have thought that music had a relaxing effect on those with Alzheimer’s
disease. A 1999 study from the University of Miami School of Medicine
found that Alzheimer patients who listened to 30 to 40 minutes
of music five times a week had increased levels of melatonin in
their blood.
Music therapists are trained health professionals who use breathing
exercises, dancing, singing and instrument playing to help people
do everything, from decreasing pain and stress during labor and
surgery to improving mental function and movement.
A study conducted by Colorado State University’s Center for Research
in NeuroRehabilitation and the University of Michigan’s Center
for Human Motor Research found that people with Parkinson’s who
listened to music while walking could go faster, take bigger steps
and showed better overall balance and control of movement than
those walking without music. The scientists speculate that the
music helped to distract patients from the pain of doing these
tasks.
Music can elevate mood, too, and thereby cut the depression often
experienced by people with Parkinson’s.
Based on promising findings, some researches have proposed that
music therapy, in combination with physical therapy, should be
the rule rather than the exception when treating those with Parkinson’s.
For more information on music therapy visit the American Music
Therapy Association at www.musictherapy.org,
the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at Beth Abraham
Family of Health Services at www.bethabe.org
and the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/hc/qcare/music/htm.
Excerpted
with permission from Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter
(2/01), 800-274-7581.
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