The Healing Power of Music

There are few things in the world as universal as music. Regardless of what may divide us--political affiliations, religious beliefs, cultural traditions--music is something that every person can experience in a variety of different ways. 

When considering the universality of music, its connection with our brain could offer more insight. Music is actually deeply intertwined with our brain: it activates multiple regions, such as those that handle language processing, memory, motor control, and attention (Sashitzky, 2020). The presence of music in so many regions of our brain consequently allows each person, no matter how different we are, to experience a connection with music. 

Additionally, there are structural differences between the brains of musicians and non-musicians. The following graph compares the percent of gray matter in the brains of professional, amateur, and non-musicians. 

Fig 1. PrecG represents the left precentral gyrus, HG L represents Heschel’s gyrus, and SPC R represents right superior parietal cortex (Gaser, Gottfried, 2003). 

The precentral gyrus is the primary motor cortex and thus responsible for motor control. Heschel’s gyrus is found in the temporal lobe at the primary auditory cortex and is connected to language processing, while the right superior parietal cortex is involved in visuospatial perception. A larger percentage of gray matter volume in these areas corresponds to a larger density of cells in these specific areas, signifying that musicians have structurally increased abilities in motor, language, and spatial areas compared to non-musicians.  

Evidently, music and the brain are much more related than we might first expect. This link is explored through the field of music therapy, which focuses on helping patients heal both physically and mentally, utilizing music to stimulate the brain. 

For example, one application of music in a healthcare setting is to relax surgical patients. According to a Harvard article, a study of 80 urologic surgery patients found that “music can decrease the need for supplementary intravenous sedation” as well as reduce the need for calming medication after surgery (Harvard Health Publishing, 2011). 

Even when patients are unconscious, music can have soothing effects on stress levels. One study split up patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) into two groups: half of the patients wore headphones playing Mozart piano sonatas and the other half did not listen to any music. The results indicated that patients who did not listen to music required significantly more propofol, an intravenous sedative used during surgery, than the patients who listened to Mozart. Additionally, the patients who listened to Mozart had lower blood pressures and lower heart rates (Harvard Health Publishing, 2011).

It might be unsurprising that music can affect us emotionally and mentally, as music is a common source of stress relief. Perhaps a more interesting avenue to explore is the impact music--an intangible concept--has on our physical healing. 

The Gabby Giffords case highlights a stunning example of music’s healing abilities. Giffords, a former Arizona Congresswoman, was severely injured in the left side of her brain after being shot in 2011. Consequently, she experienced aphasia due to damage on the left side of her brain, hindering her ability to formulate speech. Gradually, Giffords learned to speak again with the help of music therapy and was able to impressively testify in front of Congress two years later. 

Fig 2. Giffords testifying in front of Congress about gun control for the first time since the shooting (2013). 

Giffords underwent a version of “singing therapy,” a relatively new subgroup of music therapy that involves the therapist and patient both singing the words they want to speak. Essentially, the therapist would show a picture of something--a bunny, for instance--and then sing the word. When it’s the patient’s turn to sing the word, the therapist taps the left hand of the patient as the left hand is controlled by the right side of the brain. “The tapping entrains the rhythms of speech and engages the motor nerves needed to produce speech” in the patient’s mouth and throat (Knox, 2011). Gradually, these singing words and phrases shift to more defined speech.

Music can also serve as physical treatment for a variety of diseases within our body. For instance, an article by the American Psychological Association stated that “listening to and playing music increases the body's production of the antibody immunoglobulin A and natural killer cells” (Novotney, 2013). This increase in antibody production signifies a stronger immune system that offers better protection against the invasion of harmful viruses and pathogens. 

Another specific type of music healing is vibroacoustic therapy. This type of treatment involves using low-frequency sound to directly stimulate the body. In this type of therapy, “the patient lies on a mat or bed or sits in a chair embedded with speakers that transmit vibrations at specific computer-generated frequencies that can be heard and felt” (Novotney, 2013).  Researchers in Ontario, Canada found that vibroacoustic therapy greatly benefitted patients with Parkinson’s disease, leading to “improvements in symptoms, including less rigidity and better walking speed with bigger steps and reduced tremors” (Novotney, 2013). This improvement can be attributed to the connection between music and the motor cortex of the brain, as mentioned earlier.

It’s important to note that musical healing is not just limited to adults. Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center's Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine studied the effect of three different types of music--a lullaby, ocean disc, and gato box--on premature babies. They found that “Singing...increased the amount of time babies stayed quietly alert, and sucking behavior improved most with the gato box, while the ocean disc enhanced sleep” (Novotney, 2013)

The ability of music to differentially activate specific parts of the brain and promote its dynamic restructuring makes it a potent tool to use alongside traditional medical treatments. Music has always been a major aspect of our everyday lives: it’s high time we incorporate it into our healthcare. 

References

Frumin, A. (2020, September 24). Giffords in emotional testimony: 'The time is now' for gun control. MSNBC. www.msnbc.com/hardball/giffords-emotional-testimony-the-time-msna18336 

Gaser, C. & Gottfried, S. (2003, Oct 8). Brain structures differ between musicians and non-musicians. Journal of Neuroscience. www.jneurosci.org/content/23/27/9240 

Knox, R. (2011, Dec 26). Singing therapy helps stroke patients speak again. NPR. www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2011/12/26/144152193/singing-therapy-helps-stroke-patients-speak-again 

Novotney, A. (2013, Nov). Music as medicine. Monitor on Psychology. www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music 

Music and health. (2011, July). Harvard Health. www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/music-and-health 

Sashitzky, I. (2020, May 6). How music helps to heal the injured brain.” Dana Foundation. https://dana.org/article/how-music-helps-to-heal-the-injured-brain/