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Frontiers in Medicine 2023Alzheimer's Disease (AD) constitutes a major societal problem with devastating neuropsychiatric involvement in over 90% of those diagnosed. The large spectrum of AD... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) constitutes a major societal problem with devastating neuropsychiatric involvement in over 90% of those diagnosed. The large spectrum of AD neuropsychiatric symptoms leads to polypharmacological prescribing that, in turn, poses a major risk for increased side effects. Non-pharmacological interventions such as music therapy (MT) are therefore recommended as first-line treatments. The amalgamation of an aging population, long lifespan, and shortage of qualified music therapists limits access to MT services for AD.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to provide a rationale for a protocolized music teletherapy (MTT) intervention to increase accessibility for MT as a psychosocial intervention for neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with AD by conducting a narrative review of the existing MT and AD literature.
METHODS
We conducted a narrative review of MT and MTT publications indexed in PubMed and Google Scholar wherein authors used the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. We examined the impact of MT on neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD and identified MTT as a way to increase access to clinical services.
RESULTS
MT can have positive impacts on neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD. However, we identified an ensuing need for protocolized MT interventions, access to services, and increased awareness. MTT is an option that can address these needs.
DISCUSSION
Although MT can have positive effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms and can be beneficial and safe for individuals with AD, the current approach to MT practice is enormously heterogeneous with studies demonstrating variable therapist qualifications, uses of music, therapy approaches, and clinical populations. Congruently, the existing literature indicates that MT has not been standardized with protocolized interventions, making it difficult for clinicians and researchers to objectively assess the evidence, and thus, prescribe MT interventions. The lack of MT standardization, coupled with a low number of music therapists relative to people with AD, result in a lack of awareness that hinders access to MT as a psychosocial treatment for neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with AD. We therefore propose that protocolized MTT interventions are needed to increase access to better address neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with AD.
PubMed: 38076267
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1248245 -
European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2024Music therapy is increasingly examined in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and shows potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Music therapy is increasingly examined in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and shows potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review and meta-analysis critically evaluates the current clinical evidence supporting the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD. RCTs comparing music therapy in addition to care as usual (CAU) versus either CAU alone or CAU combined with standard psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy for PTSD were retrieved from major English - and Chinese-language databases. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) for post-treatment PTSD symptom scores and risk differences (RDs) for retention rates upon treatment completion were calculated to assess the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy, respectively. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool 2.0 and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) were used to assess the RoB of included studies and certainty of the evidence, respectively. Nine studies, incorporating 527 PTSD patients, were included, all with high RoB. The post-treatment PTSD symptom scores were significantly lower in the music therapy group than the inactive control group (SMD = -1.64, < .001), but comparable between the music therapy group and the active control group (SMD = -0.28, = .330). The retention rates did not differ significantly between the music therapy group and both control groups (RD = 0.03, = .769; RD = 0.16, = .829). The GRADE rated certainty level of evidence as low. Although meta-analytic findings suggest that music therapy is effective in reducing post-traumatic symptoms in individuals with PTSD, with its therapeutic effect comparable to that of standard psychotherapy, the low level of certainty limits its generalizability. More methodologically stringent studies are warranted to strengthen the clinical evidence for the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD.
Topics: Humans; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Music Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38647566
DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2342739 -
PloS One 2024Stress during pregnancy is detrimental to maternal health, pregnancy and birth outcomes and various preventive relaxation interventions have been developed. This... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Stress during pregnancy is detrimental to maternal health, pregnancy and birth outcomes and various preventive relaxation interventions have been developed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of maternal mental health, pregnancy and birth outcomes.
METHOD
The protocol for this review is published on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42020187443. A systematic search of major databases was conducted. Primary outcomes were maternal mental health problems (stress, anxiety, depression), and pregnancy (gestational age, labour duration, delivery mode) and birth outcomes (birth weight, Apgar score, preterm birth). Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies were eligible. Meta-analyses using a random-effects model was conducted for outcomes with sufficient data. For other outcomes a narrative review was undertaken.
RESULT
We reviewed 32 studies comprising 3,979 pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years. Relaxation interventions included yoga, music, Benson relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), deep breathing relaxation (BR), guided imagery, mindfulness and hypnosis. Intervention duration ranged from brief experiment (~10 minutes) to 6 months of daily relaxation. Meta-analyses showed relaxation therapy reduced maternal stress (-4.1 points; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -7.4, -0.9; 9 trials; 1113 participants), anxiety (-5.04 points; 95% CI: -8.2, -1.9; 10 trials; 1965 participants) and depressive symptoms (-2.3 points; 95% CI: -3.4, -1.3; 7 trials; 733 participants). Relaxation has also increased offspring birth weight (80 g, 95% CI: 1, 157; 8 trials; 1239 participants), explained by PMR (165g, 95% CI: 100, 231; 4 trials; 587 participants) in sub-group analysis. In five trials evaluating maternal physiological responses, relaxation therapy optimized blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Four trials showed relaxation therapy reduced duration of labour. Apgar score only improved significantly in two of six trials. One of three trials showed a significant increase in birth length, and one of three trials showed a significant increase in gestational age. Two of six trials examining delivery mode showed significantly increased spontaneous vaginal delivery and decreased instrumental delivery or cesarean section following a relaxation intervention.
DISCUSSION
We found consistent evidence for beneficial effects of relaxation interventions in reducing maternal stress, improving mental health, and some evidence for improved maternal physiological outcomes. In addition, we found a positive effect of relaxation interventions on birth weight and inconsistent effects on other pregnancy or birth outcomes. High quality adequately powered trials are needed to examine impacts of relaxation interventions on newborns and offspring health outcomes.
CONCLUSION
In addition to benefits for mothers, relaxation interventions provided during pregnancy improved birth weight and hold some promise for improving newborn outcomes; therefore, this approach strongly merits further research.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Cesarean Section; Maternal Health; Mental Health; Birth Weight; Premature Birth; Labor, Obstetric
PubMed: 38271440
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278432 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023Presbyphagia refers to age-related changes in the swallowing mechanism (e.g., reduced skeletal muscle strength that decreases bolus control). If left untreated, these... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Presbyphagia refers to age-related changes in the swallowing mechanism (e.g., reduced skeletal muscle strength that decreases bolus control). If left untreated, these changes can lead to dysphagia, which refers to impaired swallowing (e.g., coughing or choking when eating). Given that swallowing difficulties are common among older adults that they make up the fastest growing age group globally, the need for interventions to address presbyphagia is gaining urgency. To begin to address this need, we conducted a scoping review to analyze music therapy research aimed at enhancing swallowing function. The objective was to identify key intervention characteristics and propose clinical implications for treating presbyphagia using music therapy.
METHODS
This review followed the methodological frameworks outlined by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. and used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews for analysis and reporting. Four electronic databases (i.e., ProQuest, PubMed, RISS, Web of Science) were searched for quantitative and qualitative studies in English or Korean that used music-based interventions to address swallowing function in older adults. Content analysis was conducted to identify and compare the main features of music interventions for swallowing difficulties among older adults.
RESULTS
Ten articles were identified and analyzed. It was found that three core components-respiration, vocalization, and singing-were employed to enhance swallowing function in populations with neurological impairments, dementia, or head and neck cancer. Notably, actions closely linked to swallowing function, such as laryngeal elevation and oral movements, were utilized therapeutically to speak or sing. Based on these characteristics, clinical implications are proposed to address presbyphagia.
CONCLUSION
Singing entails a systematic and focused incorporation of stepwise activities that can be used to address swallowing disorders. In this context, critical clinical implications that music therapists should consider when treating individuals with presbyphagia include warmup breathing, vocalizing targeting laryngeal control, and singing targeting oral motor control. This review can contribute to the expansion of music therapy with older adults and the advancement of music therapy techniques.
PubMed: 38034547
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1285835 -
JCO Oncology Practice Dec 2023Music may be an effective therapeutic tool during cancer treatment to improve patient psychological and physical well-being. Current research shows a positive effect of... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
PURPOSE
Music may be an effective therapeutic tool during cancer treatment to improve patient psychological and physical well-being. Current research shows a positive effect of music on psychological outcomes; however, many of these studies lacked significant sample size and rigor in monitoring type of music used and duration of music use during treatment.
METHODS
Participants (N = 750) in this open-label, multisite, day-based permuted block randomization study were adult patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy infusion. Patients were randomly assigned to either music (listen to music for up to 60 minutes) or control (no music) conditions. Music patients were allowed to self-select an iPod shuffle programmed with up to 500 minutes of music from a single genre (eg, Motown, 60s, 70s, 80s, classical, and country). Outcomes were self-reported change in pain, positive and negative mood, and distress.
RESULTS
Patients who listened to self-selected music during infusion showed significant benefit in improved positive mood and reduced negative mood and distress (but not pain) from pre- to post-intervention (all two-sample -tests < .05). LASSO penalized linear regression models showed a selective benefit for some patients on the basis of relationship ( = .032) and employment ( = .029) status with those who were married or widowed and those on disability showing better outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Music medicine is a low-touch, low-risk, and cost-effective way to manage patients' psychological well-being in the often stressful context of a cancer infusion clinic. Future research should be directed to understanding what other factors may mitigate negative mood states and pain for certain groups during treatment.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Music; Music Therapy; Affect; Pain; Pain Management; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37433094
DOI: 10.1200/OP.22.00814 -
American Journal of Translational... 2023At present, traditional music therapy based on "white noise" is commonly used to treat tinnitus patients. This study aims to apply "pink noise", which has a more...
At present, traditional music therapy based on "white noise" is commonly used to treat tinnitus patients. This study aims to apply "pink noise", which has a more balanced frequency distribution than white noise, to the field of tinnitus rehabilitation treatment to study its inhibitory effect on tinnitus. Fractal technology (fractal mathematics) was used to generate semi-repetitive tones as the basic tone of music therapy. This clinical study recruited 43 adult tinnitus patients with varying degrees of hearing loss as the study subjects. All patients received fractal music therapy with hearing aids. The study evaluated the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) of patients' usage and tested the indicators with paired sample T-tests. The results indicate that "pink noise" is effective in the treatment of tinnitus, and the differences in the scores are statistically significant before and after treatment (P<0.05). In addition, by comparing the tone spectra of "white noise" and "pink noise", we found that the frequency component power of "pink noise" is mainly concentrated in the middle and low frequency range. Its slope is -3 dB/Oct, which means that the frequency decays downwards as the ratio increases. In this study, a tinnitus music therapy based on the "pink noise" tone was developed, which mainly solved the awkward problem of no specific drugs or special tinnitus treatment equipment. At the same time, it helps to accelerate the development of related medical devices and improve the quality of life of tinnitus patients.
PubMed: 38074813
DOI: No ID Found -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2023Music-based interventions are not physically invasive, they usually have minimal side effects, and they are increasingly being implemented during the birthing process... (Review)
Review
The Effects of Music-Based Interventions for Pain and Anxiety Management during Vaginal Labour and Caesarean Delivery: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Randomised Controlled Trials.
Music-based interventions are not physically invasive, they usually have minimal side effects, and they are increasingly being implemented during the birthing process for pain and anxiety relief. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise and evaluate published, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of music-based interventions for pain and anxiety management during vaginal labour and caesarean delivery. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of the literature was conducted using: PsychInfo (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were included in the review if they were RCTs that assessed the effects of music on pain and anxiety during vaginal and caesarean delivery by human mothers. A narrative synthesis was conducted on 28 identified studies with a total of 2835 participants. Most, but not all, of the included studies assessing music-based interventions resulted in reduced anxiety and pain during vaginal and caesarean delivery. Music as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy, participant-selected music, music coupled with another therapy, and relaxing/instrumental music was specifically useful for reducing light to moderate pain and anxiety. Music-based interventions show promising effects in mitigating pain and anxiety in women during labour. However, the long-term effects of these interventions are unclear.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Music; Cesarean Section; Labor, Obstetric; Labor Pain; Anxiety; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38063550
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237120 -
International Journal of Qualitative... Dec 2023This paper presents qualitative research findings from the evaluation of a Parkinson's Dance well-being venture in the UK.
PURPOSE
This paper presents qualitative research findings from the evaluation of a Parkinson's Dance well-being venture in the UK.
METHODS
Qualitative data was gathered to see how bespoke dancing sessions helped people with Parkinson's (PwP) to manage their conditions and improve their lives and prospects. Principles of a participatory approach were incorporated and methods included semi-structured interviewing, researchers participant observation and an elicitation-based activity. Nineteen PwP, six carers, four dance artists and seven helpers participated in the study.
RESULTS
Participating in Parkinson's Dance sessions meant that PwP could experience the possibilities to dance, develop a "can do" attitude, experience fun, enjoyment, social connection, exercise, movement to music, improvement and/or maintenance of their balance, suppleness, coordination and confidence with movement, symptoms being pushed back and ability to learn new things.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings add to the evidence-base about the benefits of dance for people experiencing Parkinson's and through novel application of the Life-world based well-being framework of K. T. Galvin and Todres (2011) we propose a theoretical basis for Parkinson's Dance as a resource for well-being. There is scope to consider application of the well-being framework to other arts activities and as the basis of an arts and well-being evaluation tool.
Topics: Humans; Dance Therapy; Parkinson Disease; Dancing; Exercise; Happiness
PubMed: 37559339
DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2245593 -
International Journal of Qualitative... Dec 2023The objective of this scoping review is to compile and examine characteristics and impacts of live music interventions on the health and wellbeing of children, families,... (Review)
Review
Characteristics and impacts of live music interventions on health and wellbeing for children, families, and health care professionals in paediatric hospitals: a scoping review.
PURPOSE
The objective of this scoping review is to compile and examine characteristics and impacts of live music interventions on the health and wellbeing of children, families, and health care professionals in paediatric hospital care.
METHODS
We searched four scientific databases for peer-reviewed publications of empirical studies of all study designs. The first author screened the publications, with spot-checks for eligibility by the second and third authors. Data extraction and quality assessment were made by the first author with support from the second and third. Additionally, the included studies were screened for quality appraisal. The analysis followed an inductive, interpretive approach for synthesis.
RESULTS
Quantitative features were screened and compiled, and qualitative inductive analyses of findings were elaborated into categories connected to research questions. The reported impacts were thematized through emergent features of importance and prerequisites beneficial for successful interventions. Recurrent outcomes present themes of and . present benefits, barriers, and facilitators for outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings from collected empirical research display philosophy, practice, and relations as keys for characteristics, impacts, and implications of live music interventions in paediatric hospital care. The communicative aspects of music appear at the core of importance.
Topics: Humans; Child; Hospitals, Pediatric; Music; Music Therapy; Health Personnel; Communication
PubMed: 36880806
DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2180859 -
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Feb 2024Music is a universal language that can elicit profound emotional and cognitive responses. In this literature review, we explore the intricate relationship between music... (Review)
Review
Music is a universal language that can elicit profound emotional and cognitive responses. In this literature review, we explore the intricate relationship between music and the brain, from how it is decoded by the nervous system to its therapeutic potential in various disorders. Music engages a diverse network of brain regions and circuits, including sensory-motor processing, cognitive, memory, and emotional components. Music-induced brain network oscillations occur in specific frequency bands, and listening to one's preferred music can grant easier access to these brain functions. Moreover, music training can bring about structural and functional changes in the brain, and studies have shown its positive effects on social bonding, cognitive abilities, and language processing. We also discuss how music therapy can be used to retrain impaired brain circuits in different disorders. Understanding how music affects the brain can open up new avenues for music-based interventions in healthcare, education, and wellbeing.
PubMed: 38178844
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100716