Music and Stroke Rehabilitation
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Rehabilitation for stroke patients can be a long, hard road. Finnish researchers have discovered one way of speeding recovery that can be entertaining – listening to CDs. Dr. Ken Davis explains in today’s 60 Second Housecall.

Stroke patients can recover mental function and become less depressed and confused by listening to their favorite music.

The study, by Finnish neuroscientists working with music therapists, is the first to show that listening to music soon after stroke can have specific benefits.

Researchers randomly assigned 60 stroke patients to a music group, a language group or a control group. All patients received standard stroke rehabilitation treatment. Those in the music group were provided with CDs of their favorite music. Those in the language group got tape players and books on tape.

Patients in the music and language groups listened for at least one hour every day for the first two months after their stroke.

Three months after the stroke, verbal memory, attention, confusion and depression were significantly better in the music listeners than the language or control groups.

Listening to music may become a standard treatment for patients after stroke.

For North Mississippi Medical Center, I’m Dr. Ken Davis.