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Ten Reasons Why Neurologists Should Refer Patients With Alzheimer Dementia to Music Therapy
Shauna H Yuan1, Michael J Silverman1, Andrea M Cevasco-Trotter1
1Department of Neurology (SHY, SGW), University of Minnesota; Minneapolis Veteran's Administration Healthcare System (SHY); College of Liberal Arts (MJS), School of Music, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and College of Arts and Sciences (AMC-T), School of Music, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.
Background:
Alzheimer dementia (AD) constitutes a major societal problem with devastating neuropsychiatric involvement. Pharmaceutical interventions carry a heightened risk of side effects; thus, nonpharmacological interventions such as music-based interventions (MBIs), including music therapy, are recommended.
Recent Findings:
The 2023 Neurology release of the Music Based Intervention Toolkit for Brain Disorders of Aging showcased music's emerging role as an intervention to manage symptoms of various brain disorders while defining the building blocks of MBIs to guide research in the exploration of music's therapeutic potential.
Implications For Practice:
This study extends beyond the research aspects of the MBI Toolkit to clinical applications by providing neurologists with a summary of MBIs, the MBI Toolkit, how board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs) administered music therapy is a unique MBI, and 10 reasons why they should make referrals to music therapy for their patients with AD.
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