London scientists on Thursday launched the UK’s first trial into whether music therapy can help patients recover from severe brain injury.
The trial, at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Bloomsbury, will assess whether activities like playing an instrument or singing could help patients with stroke and aphasia.
Previous studies have suggested that music therapy can improve memory and mood.
Participants will enrol in a 3 to 4 month intensive programme, with sessions including activities such as playing instruments, singing familiar songs and making music from scratch. The therapy will be tailored to suit each individual patient.
Another group will take on a different recreational activity as part of their treatment. If they are still in hospital, they will be offered music therapy when they finish the other activity.
Some NHS hospitals already offer music therapy but experts have called for more research into its health benefits. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently recommended that clinicians investigate the therapeutic potential of music therapy for stroke patients.
Music causes the body's natural stress hormones to decrease, inducing relaxation. It can also trigger vivid memories and provoke strong emotions.
Researchers in the US have found that music prompts the secretion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a role in pleasure and motivation.
Rebecca Burns, music therapist at Nordoff and Robbins, who will deliver the one-to-one therapy sessions, said: “Music can involve the whole person, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, making it an especially versatile tool in the context of neurorehabilitation.
"We know from research and from our own experiences that music has a range of positive effects: it can improve mood, stimulate positive memories, bring people together and help people to express themselves even if they struggle with verbal communication."
She added: "I’ve worked with many patients who have struggled with speech but have been able to sing and make music with fluency due to the different brain regions and processes involved. Music can also make us want to move, and I often see how this supports patients in their functional tasks on the unit.
"For these reasons and more, we think music therapy will help patients recover from brain injury and improve their quality of life in hospital and beyond.”
Trial lead Dr Sara Ajina, an honorary consultant in rehabilitation medicine at University College Hospital, said: “A patient’s recovery from severe brain injury can take time and can be challenging. We already know that music can activate multiple brain regions – and we hope to be able to provide robust evidence that inclusion of music therapy in a patient’s programme of rehabilitation is helpful to patients.
“If we can do this, we will build on indications which already suggest that the therapy can help with things like communication, mood and anxiety levels. And we will help ensure more patients have access to the therapy in future.”
King's College Hospital, in Camberwell, has already used music therapy to help with the rehabilitation of patients moving out of intensive care.
Adrian Pilbeam, 59, a retired musician from Lewisham, was admitted to ICU with a perforated bowel in December 2022. He spent over 50 days in ICU before he was discharged to a general ward to continue his recovery.
He said: "I didn’t know if I’d be able to play an instrument again, and here I am playing the piano. Music has been part of my life since I was five years old, and I don’t think I could face the road to recovery without it.”
