Creative music therapy to promote brain function and brain structure in preterm infants: A randomized controlled...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Music Therapy Research

Background:

• Very preterm infants often experience severe cognitive and neurobehavioral problems.
• Nonpharmacological interventions, like creative music therapy (CMT), may mitigate these neurodevelopmental impairments.
• CMT offers social contact and musical stimulation tailored to infant needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a study on CMT in very preterm infants.
• To measure the short- and medium-term effects of CMT on brain structure and function using MRI.
• To investigate CMT's impact on brain connectivity.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, controlled clinical pilot feasibility trial involving 82 infants.
• Infants were randomized to either CMT or standard care.
• MRI (diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional imaging) was used to assess brain connectivity.

Main Results:

• Clinical feasibility was achieved, with 40 infants in the final MRI analysis cohort.
• CMT showed moderate effects on structural brain connectivity, with increased integration in the posterior cingulate cortex.
• CMT infants exhibited lower thalamocortical processing delay, stronger functional networks, and higher functional integration in key brain regions.

Conclusions:

• CMT demonstrates beneficial effects on functional brain activity and connectivity in preterm infants.
• These effects involve networks crucial for cognitive, socio-emotional, and motor functions.
• CMT holds potential for improving long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm children.