February 10, 2000 – A month-long study has shown that music therapy improves behavior and sleep problems in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
This observation had already been made previously, but the study published in the journal Alternative therapies in health and medicine measured the blood levels of five behavioral hormones. Research at the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center showed that the melatonin levels of people attending 40 minutes of music therapy, five days a week for four weeks, increased dramatically throughout the experience and were maintained even six weeks after the end of the research.
According to Dr. Ardash Kumar, study co-author and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami School of Medicine, people with Alzheimer’s disease are often restless. and aggressive. “We wanted to verify the calming effect of a structured music therapy program.”
The researchers measured the levels of five chemical mediators (serotonin, melatonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and prolactin) that are known to influence behavior. In addition to melatonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine also increased but their levels returned to their initial levels six weeks after the study ended. Serotonin and prolactin levels were not influenced by music therapy.
The increased level of melatonin allowed patients to be more active, sleep better and be more cooperative with the nurses in charge of their care. The research has much broader implications than treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease. According to Dr. Kumar, “Music therapy may offer a safer and more effective alternative to many psychotropic medications. Like meditation and yoga, music therapy can help us maintain hormonal and emotional balance, even in times of stress and illness. ”
HealthPassport.net
Kumar AM, Tims F, Cruess DG, Mintzer MJ, Ironson G, Loewenstein D, Cattan R, Fernandez JB, Eisdorfer C, Kumar M. Music therapy increases serum melatonin levels in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Altern Ther Health Med. 1999 Nov; 5 (6): 49-57.