Music therapy has been around for centuries, as the earliest recorded reference to music therapy was in 1789. Nonetheless, its use didn’t officially take off until the 20th century, when the National Society of Musical Therapeutics, the National Association for Music in Hospitals, and the National Foundation of Music Therapy were created. By the 1940s, there was a sufficient increase in exposure that eventually encouraged several universities around the country to incorporate music therapy into their academic programs. All of this growth culminated in the creation of the American Music Therapy Association in 1998.
Now, music therapy is used to help with mental health issues from depression to Alzheimer’s, as well as help with recovery following a physical injury like a stroke or head trauma. It consists of certified music therapists holding either group or individual sessions where people can listen, sing, or play music. The purpose is to utilize the physical reactions that music produces to either build new neurological pathways or improve the overall well-being of patients. Some of the benefits of doing music therapy include reducing stress and anxiety, relaxing muscle tension, relieving pain, and improving communication and social skills. Studies found that listening to or playing music causes the body to increase the production of the antibody immunoglobulin A and natural killer cells, thus improving the body’s immune system. It also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol which can help decrease anxiety, and researchers found it is even “more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety before surgery.” Therefore, we know that music connects with us in a special way, but why?
The answer is not entirely clear. Music is sounds, which are essentially vibrations that are interpreted by our brains and influence how the brain works. Two professors at the University of Central Florida teach the class “Music and the Brain,” where they discuss how music impacts brain function and human behaviors. One of the interactions that occurs between music and brain function is neurogenesis, which is the brain’s ability to produce neurons. This can help people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s because it activates parts of the brain otherwise unused. Music also influences the parts of the brain differently; for example, the professors state that listening and playing music can enhance the function of the frontal lobe and can improve our ability to communicate by activating the Broca’s Area. In some cases, neurologic music therapy (NMT) is applied to sensory, speech, cognitive, and motor dysfunctions because, as mentioned before, music can activate specific centers in the brain that can help regain control of these functions. NMT is a rapidly growing form of therapy in the United States and it is being incorporated into neurorehabilitation centers.
It seems music therapy will continue to grow and integrate into the medical field as it has over the past several years. Finally, as more research in this field is done, there are more possibilities for us to understand why music affects us in a unique way.
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