Music therapy for acquired brain injury

Bradt J, Magee WL, Dileo C, Wheeler BL, McGilloway E. Music therapy for acquired brain injury. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD006787. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006787.pub2

http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD006787/music-therapy-for-acquired-brain-injury

Acquired brain injury can result in problems with movement, language, sensation, thinking or emotion. Any of these may severely reduce a survivor’s quality of life. Many innovative therapy techniques have been developed to help recover lost functions and to prevent depression. Music therapy involves using music to aid rehabilitation. Specific treatments may include the use of rhythmic stimulation to aid movement and walking, singing to address speaking and voice quality, listening to music to reduce pain and the use of music improvisations to address emotional needs and enhance a sense of wellbeing. We identified and included seven studies (involving 184 participants) in this review, all of which were carried out by a trained music therapist. The results suggest that rhythmic auditory stimulation may be beneficial for improving measures of walking, but there was insufficient information to examine the effect of music therapy on other outcomes. Further clinical trials are needed.