• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
Vital Signs

Vital Signs

Vital Signs
  • Current Issue
  • Vital Signs Issues
  • Resources
    • Calendar of Events
    • Clinical Trials
    • Connect Blog
    • Medical Offices
    • Other Publications
    • Physician Directory
    • Webinars on Demand
    • 50 Plus Program
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

Vital Signs

Vital Signs Issues

  1. Home
  2. Vital Signs Issues
Share this

The Soothing Sound of Music

The Soothing Sound of Music

Illustration: Maitreyee Kalaskar

Ask The Doctors

“Ask the Doctors” is a nationally syndicated column written by Eve Glazier, MD, president of the UCLA Health Faculty Practice Group, and Elizabeth Ko, MD, medical director of the UCLA Health Integrative Medicine Collaborative.

Drs. Eizabeth Ko and Eve Glazier

Drs. Eizabeth Ko and Eve Glazier. Photo: Juliane Backman

Dear Doctors:

My uncle has Alzheimer’s disease. He goes through these awful phases where he’s agitated and afraid. We’ve noticed that music calms him down, especially when it’s something from when he was young. Why would that be? Maybe music should be part of Alzheimer’s therapy.

Dear Reader:

You’ve had the good fortune to discover a therapeutic practice that reaches back at least to the ancient Greeks. Aristotle and Plato believed that music could soothe the troubled soul, and the physicians of their time employed musical instruments to induce sleep and ease mental disturbances. Today, there’s a robust body of research into the therapeutic uses of music for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. It turns out that, due to the unique way this type of dementia progresses, the areas of the brain that are linked to musical memory remain mostly free from damage. This allows Alzheimer’s patients to recognize and respond to music, especially when it is something that they have loved in the past. This has proven helpful in managing the periodic episodes of distress and agitation that are among the many challenges of the disease.

When researchers in Canada played new music for a patient with advanced Alzheimer’s, she didn’t respond. But when they played melodies that she was familiar with, she sang along. She remembered all of the words, and she continued to accurately sing the songs, even after the recordings ended. More recently, Canadian researchers studying individuals with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease linked the practice of listening to music that was personally meaningful with improvements in their neuroplasticity. That refers to the ability of someone’s brain to change and adapt in response to new experiences. Writing in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the researchers found this to be particularly true when the person felt a deep connection to the music that was being played. Not that surprisingly, music has also been found to relieve stress and reduce anxiety for caregivers, as well.

As you suggested, music is indeed incorporated into therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. It has been used both to engage the patient in the present moment and in the hope that it might have a beneficial effect on disease progress. When connecting with your uncle through music, it’s helpful to keep certain guidelines in mind. Start by eliminating any competing sounds, such as a TV or radio, which can be confusing. Choose from music he knows and loves, and which evokes happy memories. For many people, these are the songs that were popular in their youth. Singing along, clapping or even dancing can enrich the experience for both of you. It’s important that you remain aware of how your uncle is responding. If his mood changes, be ready to switch songs or end the session. And be careful to avoid overstimulation. You want to keep things fun, easy and manageable. Regularly adding music to your visits with your uncle can bring pleasure to both of you. And as emerging research continues to suggest, music may be a unique therapeutic pathway to benefit cognition.

To Ask the Doctors, email: [email protected]

Elizabeth Ko, MD

Elizabeth Ko, MD

Eve Glazier, MD

Eve Glazier, MD


Previous
Practicing mindfulness can help to relieve the stresses of difficult times
Next
UCLA patients need blood donations


YOU ARE VIEWING

Spring 2022

Spring 2022
Printable PDF
IN THIS ISSUE
  • To improve nutrition, focus on the basics
  • UCLA clinic encourages men to take a greater role in their ongoing health care
  • UCLA among few sites offering less-invasive spine surgery
  • What’s new at UCLA
  • Be aware how medications may affect blood pressure
  • Understanding of AIDS has come a long way since the disease first identified at UCLA
  • Practicing mindfulness can help to relieve the stresses of difficult times
  • The Soothing Sound of Music
  • UCLA patients need blood donations
  • COVID-19 Clinical Trials
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest

Sign in to myUCLAhealth

Learn more about myUCLAhealth