What is music therapy's impact on Parkinson's patients?
Music therapy's benefits include a soothing and energizing effect on the brain. Additionally, Parkinson's patients can walk better with a rhythm, explains Melissa Houser, MD, a neurologist at Scripps Health.
Transcript
We have singing groups for Parkinson's disease-- stimulates different areas of the brain that you just don't use in your ordinary daily activities.
[RELAXING MUSIC]
Well, it's probably multifocal, multiple factors. But one is, music has a soothing, energizing--
depending on your type of music-- effect on the brain and the psyche. Two is that Parkinson's disease patients
can walk better and function better to a rhythm. One of the Rolls Royce of walkers
has a little t, t, t, t sort of auditory device injected into it so it helps the patient step.
You can buy an iPod. Just put it in your ear. And a marching step-- or sometimes a waltz--
can help a patient move to the flow of the music.
And then producing music yourself, whether it's on an electronic keyboard or maybe on your iPad
somehow, singing-- we have singing groups for Parkinson's disease-- stimulates different areas of the brain
that you just don't use in your ordinary daily activities. [AUDIO LOGO]
alternative medicine
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