Alzheimer's and Dementia
Some studies have recently shown that music can aid Alzheimer's and Dementia patients in regaining some of their memories and also helping them become more active.
Dementia is a loss of brain function that can affect memory, thoughts, language, and behavior. When some dementia patients listened to their favorite music they could have short conversations instead of just being able to answer yes or no questions, remember things from years ago, and sing songs. This is because when dementia patients pair music with normal things such as talking to a friend or eating lunch they can later recall those situations or experiences easier by remembering the music they thought of or were listening to. It usually helps if the patients listen to music that they like a lot or is their favorite music.
Alzheimer's is a form of dementia that gets more severe over time. It also affects memory, thinking, and behavior. In a 2010 study Alzheimer's patients took memory tests and showed that they could remember more lyrics to a song if the lyrics were sung instead of being spoken. When people without Alzheimer's were tested the same way the results were generally the same if the lyrics were sung or spoken. The patients could use different songs to remember what medicines to take on which days which would also be improving their with everyday activities. Some research showed that all of this may be because Alzheimer's disease affects the part of the brain known as the hippocampus which forms new memories, links senses to memories, and moves information from your short term memory to your long term memory. Music involves the cortical areas of the brain which aren't damaged by Alzheimer's disease so the patients have an easier time being able to process the music.
Dementia is a loss of brain function that can affect memory, thoughts, language, and behavior. When some dementia patients listened to their favorite music they could have short conversations instead of just being able to answer yes or no questions, remember things from years ago, and sing songs. This is because when dementia patients pair music with normal things such as talking to a friend or eating lunch they can later recall those situations or experiences easier by remembering the music they thought of or were listening to. It usually helps if the patients listen to music that they like a lot or is their favorite music.
Alzheimer's is a form of dementia that gets more severe over time. It also affects memory, thinking, and behavior. In a 2010 study Alzheimer's patients took memory tests and showed that they could remember more lyrics to a song if the lyrics were sung instead of being spoken. When people without Alzheimer's were tested the same way the results were generally the same if the lyrics were sung or spoken. The patients could use different songs to remember what medicines to take on which days which would also be improving their with everyday activities. Some research showed that all of this may be because Alzheimer's disease affects the part of the brain known as the hippocampus which forms new memories, links senses to memories, and moves information from your short term memory to your long term memory. Music involves the cortical areas of the brain which aren't damaged by Alzheimer's disease so the patients have an easier time being able to process the music.