Open Lecture – Music Interventions for Acquired Brain Injury: Findings from an updated Cochrane Review

8 Mar 2018 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm West Hill, Putney, London SW15 3SW

Presenter: Dr Wendy Magee, Professor, Temple University, Philadelphia

This presentation provided the results of a Cochrane review update examining music interventions for adults with non-degenerative acquired brain injury (ABI). The included studies examined the effects of music interventions, delivered by music therapists and other health professionals, compared to standard care versus standard care alone or standard care combined with other therapies. Primary outcomes of interest were gait and upper extremity function. Secondary outcomes of interest were communication, cognition, mood and emotions, social skills, pain, behavioral outcomes, activities of daily living and adverse events.

Twenty-nine trials with 775 participants were included. The results indicate that music interventions may improve gait, arm function, communication and quality of life following stroke. Using a rhythmic auditory stimulus embedded in music may lead to greater and more consistent improvements in gait velocity than using rhythmic auditory stimulus without music e.g. metronome. Interventions delivered by a credentialed music therapist generated greater improvements than interventions delivered by other professionals.

The implications for future research on music interventions with ABI were discussed.

Click here to download the lecture slides

Click here to download the full Cochrane Review

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