Music therapy is a form of treatment used to improve the social, emotional, and physical functioning of a patient. As stated by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), “Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” It is one of the most common art therapies (Mathews 574); yet many people are not certain as to the purpose and administration of this form of therapy. Perhaps this is because music has only recently been able to be analyzed neurologically (Clark and Warren, 2122). Music, as a therapy, has the ability to reach a wide range of patients. It is commonly found amongst aiding children with autism. A study was conducted on its ability to increase the amount of speech in non-verbal children with autism (see “A Pilot Study on the Efficacy of Melodic Based Communication Therapy for Eliciting Speech in Nonverbal Children with Autism” ). According to the study, the corpus callosum was an area in the brain that connects both hemispheres. As the right hemisphere stores rhythm and melody, it is able, through the corpus callosum, to strengthen the weekend areas of the left hemisphere (which influences speech) (Sandiford, Mainess, and Daher, 1298-1299). Music therapy also has been used in treatment for cancer patients, to aid in their emotional functioning (AMTA). It has also been used as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s disease and stroke victims (AMTA). Rhythm is an effective tool for establishing physical stability (AMTA). These are only a few examples of how music is being applied in therapy. My focus in conducting this research, was how music therapy, whether it be through rythmatic patterns, singing, listening to personally selected songs, etc., effects people with dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. An interesting discovery is that certain parts of the brain, particularly the anterior cingulate and the ventral presupplementary areas, are associated with the memory of music; and are less effected by Alzheimer’s disease (Clark and Warren 2123); hence, music is a powerful link to a person’s past.
Music Therapy and Its Benefits to Alzheimer's 