Music Listening Induces Short-Term Changes in Attention in Poststroke Aphasia

Emily Sebranek ¹, Arianna N LaCroix ¹

⁰Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology +

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July 10, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Listening to happy music may temporarily improve attention in people with aphasia (PWA). This study found short-term gains in orienting and alerting attention, offering new insights for aphasia rehabilitation strategies.

Area Of Science

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Speech-Language Pathology

Background

Cognitive deficits in people with aphasia (PWA) are linked to poorer treatment outcomes.
Aphasia therapy seldom addresses cognitive aspects, contributing to outcome variability.
Music listening positively impacts cognition in neurotypical adults.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate if music listening induces short-term attention improvements in PWA.
To explore the effects of happy versus sad music on different attention types.

Main Methods

Forty-three PWA were allocated to listen to happy music, sad music, or no music for 10 minutes.
Attention was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Attention Network Test (ANT).
The ANT measures alerting, orienting, and executive control attention.

Main Results

Happy music listening temporarily enhanced orienting attention in all PWA.
Short-term improvements in alerting attention were observed in individuals with moderate-severe aphasia.
Executive control attention remained unaffected by music listening.

Conclusions

Music listening shows potential for inducing short-term attention improvements in PWA.
Further research is necessary to understand the extent and mechanisms of music-induced attention changes.
Findings suggest music may be a viable adjunct therapy for attention deficits in aphasia.