A study published in the February issue of the journal, Brain, suggests that music therapy can significantly aid in the recovery of patients who have suffered a stroke.  Patients studied who listened to a few hours of music each day in the early post-stroke period improved their cognitive ability and verbal memory and were in more positive spirits than those who did not listen to music, or who instead listened to audio books.

The study involved 60 people who had recently had a stroke of the middle cerebral artery in the left or right side of the brain.  This is the most common type of stroke and can affect an individual's motor skills, speech, and a range of cognitive functions.  One group listened to their favorite music every day or used audio books every day, while the other group did not listen to any music at all.  All of the patients received standard medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Researchers say that, at this point, it is impossible to know exactly what is happening in the brain after a stroke, but it does seem likely that music can help to reactivate parts of the brain that have been damaged.  It may also activate more general mechanisms that repair and renew the brain's neural networks.

--Making Music Magazine, May/June 2008