What does music do to your brain?
Brain activity indicated in red by neurologist and scientist Oliver Sacks, he listens to music he likes (Bach) and music he doesn’t like (Beethoven). Source: youtube.
Everyone has experienced it: music can touch you. It can make you happy, energetic or sad. Music can also have this effect in people with dementia. They may be remembered, but can still happily sing along that one song. Music therapy shows positive results in people with dementia. But how is that possible? What happens in the brain when you listen to music and what can we learn from it? We asked researcher Dr. Betty Tijms.
‘When you listen to music you like, all sorts of things happen in your brain. With an MRI scanner we measured brain activity while listening to music in healthy people. The result: a fireworks game of activity. Almost all areas of the brain show brain activity when participants listen to their favorite music. I find that fascinating to watch.’
What happens in the brains of people with dementia when they listen to music?
‘Less research has been done on this in people with dementia. It seems that music also activates brain areas in them. That is very special, because sometimes brain damage is already present in these areas. The behavior can also be changed by music. A very well-known example is Henry in the documentary ‘Alive Inside’. He is in an advanced stage of dementia and he is unable to speak. His favorite music makes him feel better and tells about his memories.’
How can music evoke in people with dementia?
‘I think music plays an important role in storing memories. When you hear the music again later, you activate different areas of the brain. This ‘kickstart’ of brain activity makes memories accessible again. Music is not a magical remedy, but it seems to be an alternative route to your memory. That makes it a great way to reconnect with someone with dementia and to enjoy it together.’
Can we get even more out of music?
‘We already know that music has a positive effect, so no more research is needed. But we would like to get even more out of music. If we better understand what music does in the brain, we can use those movements in other therapies to retrieve memories. Music can also help in the diagnosis of a certain form of dementia, frontotemporal dementia. The diagnosis of this form is sometimes difficult and can take a long time. We know that music taste can change with this form and we are going to investigate whether we can apply that knowledge in the diagnosis.’
‘Let’s make music together’
‘My advice is just listen to music together. And especially what the person with dementia likes. I myself have seen that people with dementia do not want to listen to their own music. But if you take them to the music, you see people change positively.’
Read more practical tips about using music with people with dementia and how to good selection of music can make.