Neurologic Music Therapy Targeting Cognitive and Affective Functions

Abstract

Cognitive deficits play a central role in recovery and determining functional outcome in neurological and psychiatric conditions. New techniques of cognitive rehabilitation address the issue of sustenance and generalizability of improved cognitive functions to activities of daily living. Research in the field of music and neuroscience has contributed immensely towards better understanding of neural correlates of music perception and cognition and music production. Neurologic music therapy (NMT) has emerged as a neuroscientific based systematic method to improve sensorimotor, language, cognition, and affective domains of functioning. The two interrelated dynamic models, the “Rational Scientific Mediating Model” and the “Transformational Design Model” of NMT are discussed in comparison with principles of cognitive remediation. An increase in research examining the role of music-based intervention to target cognition and emotion has been initiated. NMT has facilitated the field of music therapy from a predominantly social science model to a neuroscientific model based technique.