Neurologic music therapy improves executive function and emotional adjustment...

This study examined the immediate effects of neurologic music therapy (NMT) on cognitive functioning and emotional adjustment with brain-injured persons. Four treatment sessions were held, during which participants were given a pre-test, participated in 30 min of NMT that focused on one aspect of rehabilitation (attention, memory, executive function, or emotional adjustment), which was followed by post-testing. Control participants engaged in a pre-test, 30 min of rest, and then a post-test. Treatment participants showed improvement in executive function and overall emotional adjustment, and lessening of depression, sensation seeking, and anxiety. Control participants improved in emotional adjustment and lessening of hostility, but showed decreases in measures of memory, positive affect, and sensation seeking.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 Jul;1169:406-16. Thaut MH, Gardiner JC, Holmberg D, Horwitz J, Kent L, Andrews G, Donelan B, McIntosh GR. Center for Biomedical Research in Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA. michael.thaut@colostate.edu