Music and epilepsy: A critical review

Abstract

SUMMARYThe effect of music on patients with epileptic seizures is complex and at present poorly understood. Clinical studies suggest that the processing of music within the human brain involves numerous cortical areas, extending beyond Heschl's gyrus and working within connected networks. These networks could be recruited during a seizure manifesting as musical phenomena. Similarly, if certain areas within the network are hyperexcitable, then there is a potential that particular sounds or certain music could act as epileptogenic triggers. This occurs in the case of musicogenic epilepsy, whereby seizures are triggered by music. Although it appears that this condition is rare, the exact prevalence is unknown, as often patients do not implicate music as an epileptogenic trigger and routine electroencephalography does not use sound in seizure provocation. Music therapy for refractory epilepsy remains controversial, and further research is needed to explore the potential anticonvulsant role of music. Dopaminergic system modulation and the ambivalent action of cognitive and sensory input in ictogenesis may provide possible theories for the dichotomous proconvulsant and anticonvulsant role of music in epilepsy. The effect of antiepileptic drugs and surgery on musicality should not be underestimated. Altered pitch perception in relation to carbamazepine is rare, but health care professionals should discuss this risk or consider alternative medication particularly if the patient is a professional musician or native-born Japanese. Studies observing the effect of epilepsy surgery on musicality suggest a risk with right temporal lobectomy, although the extent of this risk and correlation to size and area of resection need further delineation. This potential risk may bring into question whether tests on musical perception and memory should form part of the preoperative neuropsychological workup for patients embarking on surgery, particularly that of the right temporal lobe.

Exposure to Mozart music reduces cognitive impairment in pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus rats

“…At present music has been used to ameliorate memory loss in Parkinson's disease (Pacchetti et al 2000) and demented patients (Foster and Valentine 2001), to assist language acquisition in learning-impaired children, to enhance student academic performance on examinations (Bridgett and Cuevas 2000) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Maguire 2012). Particllarly, Mozart music is used to cure children with generalized seizures in clinical.…”

Effects of Organized Auditory Stimulation by Familiar Voice on Blood Pressure and Body Temperature in Comatose Patients

“…The sample size was calculated as 60 based on the mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and the difference in the mean SBP between the intervention and control group found by Hosseinzadeh et al using a confidence interval of 95% and a test power of 80% (19). Sampling in the present study was conducted over three months (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) October, 2014) using random blocks of four. Samples of both genders were assigned to the intervention and control groups based on the blocks arrangement.…”

“…Moreover, auditory stimulation is the simplest method used through making verbal communications with the patient by nurses during routine health care activities [14]. Auditory stimulation can be performed using different voices [15,16] with different effects, such as familiar voice that can be more quickly recalled by the patient [5]. Numerous studies conducted on various auditory stimulations indicate reduced anxiety and a sedation status, but no tangible effects on physiological indices such as blood pressure and body temperature.…”

Exploración de las propiedades psicométricas de la Batería Montreal de Evaluación de Amusia en una muestra de sujetos con epilepsia de lóbulo temporal

“…Entre las que se pueden mencionar, se encuentran las siguientes: la medicación antiepiléptica (aunque parece no tener una repercusión directa sobre la percepción de estímu-los musicales 27 o la ejecución de la MBEA 6 ), la frecuencia y edad de inicio de las crisis, 16,19 y otras alteraciones cognitivas que pudieran incidir sobre el desempeño de los sujetos. Por otra parte, también existieron limitaciones relacionadas con el diseño y los medios para obtener datos, por ejemplo, la obtención de las características del diagnóstico de ELTns para la conformación de los casos a partir de la revisión del expediente clínico, así como la ausencia de grupo de comparación con diagnóstico de epilepsia parcial con foco epileptogénico en otra región lobular.…”