Monday Music Notes

Functional MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) can give us pictures of what happens to children’s brains when comparing speech vs. song activity.  Researchers Lai, Pantazatos, Schneider and Hirsch (2012) looked at the neural systems for speech and song in children with autism compared to typically developing children.  The results showed that “functional systems that process speech and song were more effectively engaged for song than speech” (p. 961).  Knowing that music activates more areas of the brain than speech, this finding is not surprising.

Almost all babies love music. Past studies with music and newborns have shown that recorded music and parents singing can help increase weight gain and oxygen saturation. But can live music have a similar effect on premature newborns who are struggling to grow and thrive?

Have you ever been able to tell something was wrong with someone just by watching his or her gait?  Your gait is your stride, how long a step you take, plus whether you go from heel to toe and whether your toes stay straight or tend to go in or out.  You also look at the tempo or speed at which they walk, and the rhythm created in their step.  These characteristics are just what a group of researchers studied with two groups of older adolescents and young adults.  One group, classified as “typically developing” and the other group, classified as on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with severe communication disorders.

The author of this study noted that there is past research that supports the idea that a responsive parenting style and synchronous parent-child interactions have a positive effect on child development in language, cognitive, and social-emotional areas. Responsive parenting is defined as “the ways parents respond to their children’s needs and signals with sensitivity, warmth, and acceptance.” The parent’s ability to accurately recognize, understand, and interpret their child’s communication through behavior or verbal communication is one of the key factors involved in this successful type of parent-child relationship.

This article was written as a report on a three year pilot music therapy program that was started in Australia. The aim of the project was to provide short-term music therapy to families in communities where access to other services may be limited. The music therapy program was named Sing & Grow, and focused on building upon parents’ ability to relate to and respond to their child’s emotional and developmental needs. It specifically targeted families with children ages three and under.

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have many challenges.  Most of us think about their awkwardness in social settings.  Those with severe ASD may not be able to talk or only communicate through an Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) device.  Some use Ipads, which have special applications that assist with communication.

Most consider the survey as one of the best ways to determine what trends are developing and how professionals deal with change.  Knowing that the public, professionals and families focus much attention on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), researchers asked what clinical practices and training needs exist for music therapists working with this specific population.  Most recently, media releases say that 1 in 88 individuals (different statistics for males versus females) receive a diagnosis of ASD.  Kern, Rivera, Chandler and Humpal (2013) took the opportunity to ask 328 professional music therapists from the American Music Therapy Association questions regarding their involvement in working with individuals diagnosed with this disorder.  Researchers needed to find out how many worked with individuals with ASD, but wanted them to answer questions about assessment, clinical goals, approaches and techniques used to treat these individuals.  Examining these key areas helps “evaluate the status of music therapy practices…, the implementation of national ASD standards and guidelines, the awareness of recent developments and training needs of music therapists” (p. 274).

As a music therapist, my job is to make sure that my client/patient can participate in music making, as this is often one of the main goals of my sessions.  Neuroscience research is showing us just how active the brain is when an individual is participating in the music making process.   Those that attend a concert and see music presented are not as involved as those participating.  Music educator Matthew D. Thibeault stated in his article entitled “Music Education for All through Participatory Ensembles” which makes a valid point for music educators to create ensembles for everyone because participation maximizes enjoyment and focus.

Quality of life has become more and more of a focus in care of individuals with Dementia. Many articles or studies have shown that music therapy can help quality of life for many people, but how exactly does it help individuals with varying levels of Dementia? In the study “Effect of Group Music Therapy on Quality of Life, Affect, and Participation in People with Varying Levels of Dementia”, researchers attempted to find out why music therapy is effective for Dementia.

Music can help soothe symptoms related to medical procedures or diagnoses, but can it help the deeper issues that come with a serious medical diagnosis? Potvin, Bradt, and Kesslick looked into symptoms management and the underlying issues in their research article, “Expanding Perspective on Music Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Care.”

Many adults suffer silently with chronic mental illness. In fact, according to The National  Institutes of Mental Health about 4.1% of the population suffer from serious, ongoing mental illness. Unfortunately the current health system focuses on stabilization of the most acute symptoms. However, in order to return to a functional daily life much more treatment is needed.  Music therapy, along with counseling, medication, and other treatments, can help ease symptoms of mental illness and assist in integrating these individuals into the community.

According to Webster’s online dictionary meta-analysis is a systematic review of the literature, which “involves pooling the data and using the pooled data to test the effectiveness of the results” (www.merriam-webster.com).  Researchers use this device to evaluate what research has been done on a particular subject or research question to ask if what is available helps answer the question or gives sufficient results to come to a conclusion.  Research on the subject of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the therapies that seek to help those with ASD are vast.  Srinivasan and Bhat (2013) wanted to discover what research explored music and movement therapies for children with ASD.  They found that so much literature exists regarding communication and social deficits, but found little on music and movement.

Many people remember listening to music as a teenager and thinking “This song totally describes how I am feeling!” But was there ever a time that a lot of these songs were sad? Ever wonder if listening to sad songs is good or bad for you? Sachs, Damasio, and Habibi attempted to find this out in “The Pleasures of Sad Music: A Systematic Review.” The researchers found that actual sadness and musical sadness are processed in different parts of the brain. Felt, or actual, sadness is processed in the emotional center of the brain while evaluating musical sadness is processed in the lower parts of the brain and the lower auditory, or hearing, part of the brain.