Music and semantic dementia

Title of study:

Music and semantic dementia

Journal name:

Archives of Neurology (2011), 68(, 1089

Abstract:

Comments on an article by J. Weinstein et al. (see record 2011-03804-013). This article provides further evidence that semantic memory for music may be relatively spared in semantic dementia (SemD). This issue is both clinically and neurobiologically relevant. More fundamentally, the apparent sparing of music knowledge despite a “panmodal” breakdown of sensory and conceptual knowledge is likely to hold a clue to the nature of the core deficit underpinning SemD. We have presented evidence that knowledge of melodies and musical notation may be spared in SemD, whereas knowledge of musical instruments and emotions is affected comparably with other knowledge categories. These findings support the interpretation offered by Weinstein et al. that it appears to be the more abstract aspects of music that are relatively resistant to the disintegration of semantic memory in SemD. Although an understanding of music is universal among human societies, musical competence is highly variable, and this creates an important practical problem for the clinical and neuroscientific study of music. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)

Authors and affiliation:

Warren, J. D.; Hailstone, J. C.; Omar, R.; Neurol, A.

Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, England

Web link:

http://remote.libproxy.wlu.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/897336316?accountid=15090