Music-supported motor training after stroke reveals no superiority of synchronization in group therapy

Abstract

Background: Music-supported therapy has been shown to be an effective tool for rehabilitation of motor deficits after stroke. A unique feature of music performance is that it is inherently social: music can be played together in synchrony.Aim: The present study explored the potential of synchronized music playing during therapy, asking whether synchronized playing could improve fine motor rehabilitation and mood.Method: Twenty-eight patients in neurological early rehabilitation after stroke with no substantial previous musical training were included. Patients learned to play simple finger exercises and familiar children's songs on the piano for 10 sessions of half an hour. Patients first received three individual therapy sessions and then continued in pairs. The patient pairs were divided into two groups. Patients in one group played synchronously (together group) whereas the patients in the other group played one after the other (in-turn group). To assess fine motor skill recovery the patients performed standard clinical tests such as the nine-hole-pegboard test (9HPT) and index finger-tapping speed and regularity, and metronome-paced finger tapping. Patients' mood was established using the Profile of Mood States (POMS).Results: Both groups showed improvements in fine motor control. In metronome-paced finger tapping, patients in both groups improved significantly. Mood tests revealed reductions in depression and fatigue in both groups. During therapy, patients in the in-turn group rated their partner as more sympathetic than the together-group in a visual-analog scale.Conclusions: Our results suggest that music-supported stroke rehabilitation can improve fine motor control and mood not only individually but also in patient pairs. Patients who were playing in turn rather than simultaneously tended to reveal greater improvement in fine motor skill. We speculate that patients in the former group may benefit from the opportunity to learn from observation.

Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients

“…Nine studies assessed the effects of music or MT on post-stroke patients [71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79] . Four of them were based on a relational approach [71,72,76,77] , three regarded music listening interventions [74,75,78] , and two used a rehabilitative approach [73,79] .…”

“…Four of them were based on a relational approach [71,72,76,77] , three regarded music listening interventions [74,75,78] , and two used a rehabilitative approach [73,79] . All studies show a positive effect of music or MT on mood in patients with Stroke.…”

The influence of music therapy on quality of life after a stroke

“…As in our study, the psychological state of post-stroke patients improved under the influence of MT in research by Kim et al (2011), as well as Chen et al (2013), where levels of depression and anxiety decreased in MT participants. The active approach of MT positively influenced mood in research by Van Vugt et al (2014) and Jun et al (2012). However, one ought to remember that in our study MT was mainly based on a receptive approach.…”

Musical sonification improves motor control in Parkinson's disease: a proof of concept with handwriting

“…Although music and rhythm training have been considered as part of rehabilitation alternatives for many years, these received a growing scientific interest during the last decade. Positive effects of such trainings have been recently demonstrated, supported by solid arguments highlighting the relationship between sound and movement . Since motor and auditory systems interact, human beings have a spontaneous inclination toward synchronizing their actions with rhythm when listening to music.…”