Over recent years research has been carried out to establish if there are real benefits to music therapy and results suggest that it can indeed affect the way we function. Some neuroscientists believe that certain types of music stimulate the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin which are reduced in those with Parkinson’s. However, this has not been proved so far.
Professor Michael Thaut and his team at Colorado State University have researched the effect of rhythmic music stimulation on gait and other motor performance for over twenty years. Their research produced some of the most solid evidence that music may help those with Parkinson’s and Thaut has developed specific music therapy techniques aimed at its symptoms:
- Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is a method that enables the therapist to find the exact rhythm that supports optimum gait. RAS may positively influence initiating movements, rhythm and symmetry, freezing, coordination and endurance
- Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE) uses music to enhance complex movements requiring coordination. PSE tailors the music movement to the motor movement, making it more efficient and fluid
- important Italian study1 looked at 16 people receiving music therapy in relation to 16 receiving physical therapy. The results showed that those receiving music therapy had significant improvements in bradykinesia and in the performance of daily activities, such as cutting food and dressing, as well as a greater sense of happiness and improved quality of life. Those receiving physical therapy saw improvements in rigidity but not in other areas. Music therapy also reduced freezing and start hesitation.
Further research is also under way, including one study at the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, Texas, which aims to determine which musical rhythms are more therapeutic and stimulating for people with Parkinson's. Their goal is to ultimately create a device, perhaps similar to a personal music player, that can be tailored to each individual’s needs.
