Music Therapy

New research suggests that “ tuning in ” can be extremely therapeutic

Music is a fundamental attribute of human civilisation . Virtually all cultures , from the primitive to the most advanced , make some form of music . In tune or not , we humans sing and hum ; in time or not , we clap and sway ; in step or not , we dance and bounce .

The idea that music has healing powers dates back to ancient times and has been present in almost every culture . In the days when the Greek god Apollo reigned , Plato argued that , “ Music is a moral law . It gives soul to the universe , wings to the imagination , and charm and gaiety to life and to everything else .” Apollo was the god of both music and healing . Hippocrates is said to have played music to help treat his patients . In the Old Testament , King Saul ’ s fits of depression were soothed by the music of young David . Other cultures have similar stories of the healing powers of music .

In more modern times , research has confirmed music ’ s psychological and physiological effects on the human brain and nervous system . Both are hardwired to distinguish music from noise and to respond to rhythm and repetition , tones and tunes . Music that ’ s powerful enough to be “ spine-tingling ” can light up the brain ’ s reward centre much like other pleasurable stimuli , such as alcohol or chocolate .

Some studies suggest that music may promote the brain ’ s plasticity , its ability to make new connections between nerve cells . A person ’ s ability to perform and control mental operations – a skill called focused attention – was also shown to have improved when listening to music . But while scientists can now see , via medical imaging , some of the changes in the brains of people listening to Beethoven or Elvis Presley , the ways it works on us remains largely elusive given the complexity of music as a stimulus . Clearly , more research is needed .

While listening to music has shown to have therapeutic benefits , it ’ s still unclear if it has any long-term effects on IQ and cognition . Learning to play an instrument , however , could enhance the brain ’ s ability to master tasks involving language , memory , and attention , according to one recent study .

Therapeutic Benefits Music therapy – the use of music to address physical , psychological , cognitive , and / or social problems – now

Music therapy has been used as an ancillary or adjunct treatment for neurological disorders