This contribution describes how music can trigger plastic changes in the brain. We elaborate on the concept of neuroplasticity by focussing on three major topics: the ontogenetic scale of musical development, the phenomenon of neuroplasticity as the outcome of interactions with the sounds and a short survey of clinical and therapeutic applications. First, a distinction is made between two scales of description: the larger evolutionary scale (phylogeny) and the scale of individual development (ontogeny). In this sense, listeners are not constrained by a static dispositional machinery, but they can be considered as dynamical systems that are able to adapt themselves in answer to the solicitations of a challenging environment. Second, the neuroplastic changes are considered both from a structural and functional level of adaptation, with a special focus on the recent findings from network science. The neural activity of the medial regions of the brain seems to become more synchronised when listening to music as compared to rest, and these changes become permanent in individuals such as musicians with year-long musical practice. As such, the question is raised as to the clinical and therapeutic applications of music as a trigger for enhancing the functionality of the brain, both in normal and impaired people.
Part of the book: Neuroplasticity
Aging is a phase of life characterized by the increasing risk of occurring neurodegenerative pathologies, as well as stroke and physical decline. Patients in such clinical conditions are known to benefit from programs able to promote the improvement of associated cognitive, functional, and behavioral disorders. In recent times, growing empirical evidence showed the efficacy of active and passive music-based interventions to be the highest when used for healing these diseases. Additionally, very latest research found the combination of electrical neurostimulation with music to have potential utility for clinical older adult populations, as it may amplify the impulse to neuroplasticity and, by consequence, the rehabilitation gains. Reiterating of active music making induces changes in multiple brain regions bringing to the enhancement of cognitive and sensorimotor skills, while merely listening to pleasurable music stimulates dopaminergic regions of the brain improving cognition, motivation, and mood in a variety of neurological diseases. The versatility of music-based interventions in combination with new technologies allows an effective application of innovative therapeutic techniques. Moreover, their easy implementation in healthcare settings and their positive effects on both recovery and patients’ quality of life makes the integration of music-based interventions with conventional rehabilitation approaches highly desirable.
Part of the book: The Theory and Practice of Group Therapy