Music therapy improves the mood and life quality of patients who suffered from a stroke
A clinical trial analysed the efficiency of music therapy in the recovery of arm and hand mobility of those patients who suffered from a stroke. The study analyses the effects of adding music therapy to the neurorehabilitation program offered in hospitals, and it points out that motivation is an important factor in the recovery and that patients who are treated with music therapy improve their life quality and mood more than those who receive a traditional treatment.
Published in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, the article is signed by Jennifer Grau-Sánchez as first author and it has been jointly conducted with a team of researchers of the University of Barcelona, the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, MAR Health Park, Bellvitge University Hospital and the University of Helsinki. The study was led by Dr Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, from the Brain Plasticity and Cognition Area of the University of Barcelona, and Dr Esther Duarte Oller, from the Rehabilitation Services of MAR Health Park.
More than 40 people -patients who had suffered from a stroke and did their rehab at Hospital Esperança de Barcelona- took part in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to a treatment group to receive additional music-supported sessions (apart from their regular therapy), or a control group to receive more traditional treatment during four weeks (a series of twenty 30-minute long sessions). Researchers assessed the motor and cognitive functions as well as the mood and quality of life of patients before and after the treatment.
The new therapy consisted on conducting a music-supported training to learn how to play the piano and electronic drums with the hand that was affected by ictus. Those patients who liked to take part in musical activities were those who improved the most regarding their motor functions. Also, the patients who carried out the musical treatment reduced more their tiredness, negative emotions and apathy compared to those who received only traditional treatment.
Ictus is one of the most common health problems and one of the main causes of some disabilities. The partial or total loss of the motor function of the upper limb is one of the most common problems. Motor deficit limits the fulfilment of daily life activities and participation of the patient in the community, which affects his/her quality of life negatively and lowers his/her mood.
This project is carried out with the support of RecerCaixa program, an initiative from Obra Social “la Caixa” in collaboration with the Catalan Association of Public Universities.
Reference article:
J. Grau Sánchez, E. Duarte, N. Ramos Escobar, J. Sierpowska, N. Rueda, S. Redón, M. Veciana de las Heras, J. Pedro, T. Särkämö i A. Rodríguez Fornells. «Music-supported therapy in the rehabilitation of subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial». Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 2018. Doi: 10.1111/nyas. 13590
A clinical trial analysed the efficiency of music therapy in the recovery of arm and hand mobility of those patients who suffered from a stroke. The study analyses the effects of adding music therapy to the neurorehabilitation program offered in hospitals, and it points out that motivation is an important factor in the recovery and that patients who are treated with music therapy improve their life quality and mood more than those who receive a traditional treatment.
Published in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, the article is signed by Jennifer Grau-Sánchez as first author and it has been jointly conducted with a team of researchers of the University of Barcelona, the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, MAR Health Park, Bellvitge University Hospital and the University of Helsinki. The study was led by Dr Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, from the Brain Plasticity and Cognition Area of the University of Barcelona, and Dr Esther Duarte Oller, from the Rehabilitation Services of MAR Health Park.
More than 40 people -patients who had suffered from a stroke and did their rehab at Hospital Esperança de Barcelona- took part in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to a treatment group to receive additional music-supported sessions (apart from their regular therapy), or a control group to receive more traditional treatment during four weeks (a series of twenty 30-minute long sessions). Researchers assessed the motor and cognitive functions as well as the mood and quality of life of patients before and after the treatment.
The new therapy consisted on conducting a music-supported training to learn how to play the piano and electronic drums with the hand that was affected by ictus. Those patients who liked to take part in musical activities were those who improved the most regarding their motor functions. Also, the patients who carried out the musical treatment reduced more their tiredness, negative emotions and apathy compared to those who received only traditional treatment.
Ictus is one of the most common health problems and one of the main causes of some disabilities. The partial or total loss of the motor function of the upper limb is one of the most common problems. Motor deficit limits the fulfilment of daily life activities and participation of the patient in the community, which affects his/her quality of life negatively and lowers his/her mood.
This project is carried out with the support of RecerCaixa program, an initiative from Obra Social “la Caixa” in collaboration with the Catalan Association of Public Universities.
Reference article:
J. Grau Sánchez, E. Duarte, N. Ramos Escobar, J. Sierpowska, N. Rueda, S. Redón, M. Veciana de las Heras, J. Pedro, T. Särkämö i A. Rodríguez Fornells. «Music-supported therapy in the rehabilitation of subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial». Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 2018. Doi: 10.1111/nyas. 13590