The researcher, Sarah Faber, has studied how healthy aging brains respond to music, providing a foundation for future research on Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Faber's work aims to aid in predicting and understanding dementia and Alzheimer's, as well as determining effective treatments for those conditions.
There's a growing interest in predicting the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as identifying responsive treatments for those affected by the diseases, Faber stated.
The brain operates within a larger context, including the body, environment, community, and social structure, emphasizing the brain's interconnectedness with the broader world.
Published in Network Neuroscience, the research involved 80 participants, ranging from university students to individuals as old as 90, who underwent functional MRI scans.
The study included two groups: one of university students with an average age of 19 and another with an average age of 67.
All participants were exposed to 24 music samples, including their own selections, popular music chosen by researchers, and songs created specifically for the study.
The research demonstrated that while younger adults' reward centers in the brain were activated by familiar or preferred music, older adults displayed activation even when the music was unfamiliar or disliked.
In contrast to younger adults, whose auditory network shows preference-driven reward responses, older adults' response to music seems consistently positive, regardless of their liking for the music, Faber explained.
For older adults, the reaction to music appears to be consistently positive, with little regard for personal preference or familiarity.
Faber, a former music therapist turned neuroscientist, highlighted the challenges of researching Alzheimer’s in individuals who may be unable to communicate their thoughts and feelings.
While understanding how to enhance music therapies for Alzheimer’s patients is valuable, the implications of this research extend beyond that area, Faber noted.
Obtaining insights into how the brain processes complex stimuli in the context of Alzheimer’s would be highly beneficial for professionals working in this field, not limited to music-related practices, Faber stated.
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