Avry Vranesh-Chubelashvili

Professor Dawn Augusta

HCR 342

4/16/23

Music Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Clements-Cortes, Amy. “Sound Stimulation in Patients With Alzheimer Disease.”

Hmpgloballearningnetwork.com, Global Learning Network,

https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/altc/articles/sound-stimulation-patients-

alzheimers-disease.

This article was written by Amy Clements-Cortes and Lee Bartel whom both have their PhD,

Amy also has MTA, MT-BC, and FAMI qualifications. It was written for the Global Learning

Network in May of 2015, a few years after music therapy was just being discovered as a

treatment option for Alzheimer’s Disease. Healing can be done through sound, which is received

by the auditory nerve. The brain receives these as an electrical impulse, sends it to neurons in the

brain, which then can alter brain waves. These brain waves are what affect the ability to perform

in life. The emotional connection that someone has with a song or songs, can bring a state of

happiness, and can reduce the rate of which Alzheimer’s alters the brain over time. The biggest

wave of sound is the gamma wave, which is 40 hertz. This sound wave has the most impact on

the brain for healing due to its ability to infiltrate the brains neurological stimulation. The sound
can change the cells in our body, and in all be used to dramatically change the lives of those with

Alzheimer’s.

Harper, Chris. “Music and Alzheimer's - Benefits of Music Therapy.” The Arbor Company, The

Arbor Company, 21 Nov. 2022, https://www.arborcompany.com/blog/music-and-

alzheimers-benefits-of-music-therapy.

For patients with Alzheimer’s, music that they listened to from age 18 to 25 can be used as the

most useful for music therapy. The melody and rhythm of song have been shown to help

improve speech by affecting the part of the brain that is responsible for language. Here we are

developing the difference between music therapy and music medicine. For Alzheimer’s, music

medicine is more relevant because it can be medicinally prescribed for effect on the brain and

body. Additional benefits of using music as medicine for Alzheimer’s is improved immune

system, accessible treatment, and benefits communication.