Memory for Melodies and Lyrics in Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

this research addressed the question: is musical memory preserved in dementia, specifically, dementia of the Alzheimer type (AD)? Six tests involving different aspects of melody and language processing were administered to each of five groups of participants: 50 younger adults, 100 older adults, and 50 AD older adults classified into three levels of AD severity—mild, moderate and severe. No test was immune to, but not all tests were equally sensitive to, the presence of dementia. Long-term familiarity for melody was preserved across levels of AD, even at the severe stage for a few individuals. Detecting pitch distortions in melodies was possible for mild and some of the moderate AD participants. The ability to sing a melody when prompted by its lyrics was retained at the mild stage and was retained by a few individuals through the severe stages of AD. Long-term familiarity with the lyrics of familiar melodies was also found across levels of AD. In contrast, detection of grammatical distortions in the lyrics of familiar melodies and the ability to complete familiar proverbs were affected even at the mild stage of AD. We conclude that musical semantic memory may be spared through the mild and moderate stages of AD and may be preserved even in some individuals at the severe stage.

Music‐evoked emotions: principles, brain correlates, and implications for therapy

“…With regard to MT, it is important to note that some patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have nearly preserved memory of musical information (they remember familiar popular tunes) . Although so far not empirically tested, music therapists report that the experience of having a “preserved memory island” on which a patient can still remember music (and music making) and even learn new music has strongly positive effects on the mood of AD patients.…”

Preservation of musical memory and engagement in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease

“…In a recent study, we examined sparing of musical memories in healthy aging and AD patients across the three stages described above. Familiarity was high in healthy aging as well as in the mild and moderate stages of AD.…”

A case study on the effect of musical experience through Korean music, Samulnori with abdominal breathing on liver cirrhosis

“…Health care professionals are beginning to treat not only the patient's medical condition or diagnosis, but the patient's state of mind as well (Judith et al, 2010). Also, understanding preserved capacities should facilitate efforts to use music successfully in intervention programs and programs directed at fostering new learning (Cuddy et al, 2012). Thus, the author believes that even an hour of enjoyable and invaluable time can benefit a patient in controlling and ultimately winning over one's stress and finally overcoming one's disease.…”