They say that music can heal a broken heart, but can it also help heal your brain?
Daily doses of one’s favorite tunes are shown to help speed up recovery from debilitating strokes, according to a study published last week by a group of researchers in Finland.
The study shows that stroke patients saw a significant improvement in verbal memory and mood after listening to music for a few hours per day as compared to those patients who did not listen to music.
I think it’s accurate to say most patients would much rather bump their heads to some Top 40, instead of the regular treatment for stroke victims, which consists of blood-thinning drugs and others drugs aimed at lowering cholesterol levels, according to reports.
A stroke is a result of the obstructed flow of blood to the brain. Nearly 700,000 suffer from strokes each year, according to WebMD.com . With a breakthrough discovery like this, it won’t be long before all our favorite artists start playing doctor.
Is it really possible to attribute someone like Jessica Simpson in the recovery of a loved one? Apparently so, at least, according to the study’s lead author, Teppo Sarkamo.
“Based on previous research and theory, it may be music listening could actually activate the brain areas that are recovering,” Sarkamo said in an interview with news service Reuters. “Music listening should be considered as an addition to other active forms of therapy.”
The discovery, however, requires follow-up studies to gain a better understanding of the results. Once the study is validated, people will have access to this alternative medical treatment, which may prove to be more considerate to their bank accounts than conventional medicinal treatment.
Although it is not certain why stroke patients react to music the way they do, many researchers have their own theories.
One possible theory says that the music might specifically act on the part of the nervous system that is implicated in feelings of pleasure, reward and memory.
A factor that all researchers can agree on is that, with so much uncertainty surrounding the phenomenon, extensive research must still be conducted before any kind of widespread use.
A daily dose of some rock ‘n’ roll never hurt anyone.
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