Music Therapy—such an obscure term for many—but for others it is an avenue for socializing, recovery, self-expression, communicating, alleviating stress and so much more. The American Music Therapy Association defines Music Therapy as “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program” (AMTA, 2021). What sets music therapy apart from other therapies is that music therapists utilize music interventions to drive the change related to therapeutic goals individualized for each person. Evidence suggests that engaging in music has a significant impact on the human brain, making it an effective tool for therapy. In 2014, researcher Stegemöller explored the principles of neuroplasticity and how it can be applied within the clinical practice of music therapy.
Music therapy is often tested on progress based on observable behaviors and actions that are witnessed during a session, but understanding how the music is actually affecting the brain can lead to much more information as to why music therapy is working. Neuroplasticity is the ability for the brain to reorganize or remap connections in the brain to learn in a new way. Neuroplasticity indicates the ability of the brain to continuously change its form and functioning. Stegemöller (2014) states, “. . . in neuroplasticity the connectivity and non connectivity of neurons, networks, and regions . . . determines the perception and response to stimuli in the world around us (p. 212). Understanding neuroplasticity is the first step to understanding the way the brain can change due to stimuli and how music therapy can affect the way the brain functions.
Experiences are what build up the brain. In short, the synapse is the space between two neurons where signals are passed back and forth and with constant use, the neurons become larger and long-lasting. The neurons that are not in constant use become weakened. This phenomenon is described as “synaptic plasticity” (p. 213). “Long- term potentiation (LTP)” was discovered when a brief high frequency stimulation occurred and “enhanced the synaptic activity between neurons” (p. 213). Specific receptors were found to trigger the LTP response which in return admits learning and memory to occur (p. 213). Stegemöller (2014) explains this occurrence gives researchers an understanding of “how the brain retains specific properties of an encoded memory, as well as how the brain associates one experience with another” (p. 213). “Long- term depression (LTD)” was discovered when a long period of low rate stimulation occurred and decreased synaptic activity (p. 214). LTP and LTD processes suggest that utilizing music therapy as the stimulation could have the ability to change the strengths of an entire network of neurons.
Learning and memory are two very important targets in music therapy, but “restoring lost behaviors or finding alternative behaviors'' (p. 214) are also very important aspects targeted within music therapy. Cortical remapping is one of the largest components in understanding how the brain changes in response to music. “In sensory areas of the brain . . . the arrangement of receptive fields (i.e., areas of the brain that respond to a specified stimulus) can change in response to altered circumstances'' (Jenkins, as cited in Stegemöller, 2014, p. 214). For example, someone who has experienced a stroke no longer has the same motor abilities as before, but with receiving therapy and remapping occurring in their motor functioning, they are soon to recover close to or completely back to normal. Therefore, music therapy can be utilized to create new pathways and rewire, as well as restore and alternate old and new behaviors by altering circumstances and remapping the brain.
The brain is understood to be always changing whether positively or negatively. From birth to ages 2 to 3, new connections of neurons are continually increasing, which is considered the critical period (p. 215). It is defined as the “critical period” due to this being the time children are learning about the world, and it is important to ensure these children are being exposed to positive stimuli. “These experiences set the neuronal structure for future plasticity”—meaning this time is critical in learning basic social interactions and engaging in stimulations with ease until it becomes more difficult later on in life (p. 215). From ages 3 to 6, new connections are increasing as well as pruning, which is when the brain is removing synapses that are no longer seen as needed due to the neurons not being utilized (p. 215). The saying “Use it or lose it” pertains to this time in development. By the time of adolescents the brain is creating new connections and pruning about the same amount, until the early 20s where the brain is completely developed (p. 215-216). Neuroplasticity spans the entire lifetime of one person, so even though the brain is developed by the early 20s, positive changes can be made within the brain throughout the entire lifespan. Music therapy can be utilized in remapping neurons that were pruned and assisting in regaining knowledge and abilities.
One signal that neurons pass back and forth is dopamine—which has been shown to be released during positive stimuli occurring. Research has shown that music plays a role in the production of dopamine which proposes the idea of music being a driving force of the idea of reinforcement learning and reward. “Most importantly, research has shown that the response of dopamine neurons is transferred to stimuli during learning” (Romo & Schultz, as cited in Stegemöller, 2014, p. 216). For example, when a bell sounds and candy is then rewarded due to homework being turned in, dopamine is firing due to the candy. The bell becomes a signal of dopamine firing predicting future rewarded occurrences. It is assumed that dopamine has much to do with the occurrence of neuroplasticity and cortical remapping. So based on research, music therapists have the capability to utilize music as a reward, produce dopamine, which then promotes the motivation to achieve therapeutic goals. All in all, once dopamine has been fired, due to a nonmusical task, the synapse “may be strengthened by LTP, which is mediated by dopamine, ultimately leading to the learning of a new task/behavior from which the music reward (i.e., music therapy) can be faded” (p. 217).
Noise, on the other hand, has been proven to negatively affect neuroplasticity and increase stress, while music has had the opposite of effects (p. 218). High levels of stress restrain the occurrence of LTP which in turn has negative effects on memory, cognition, and emotion. On the contrary, exposure to music has strengthened learning and promotes the occurrence of neuroplasticity. “Research has suggested that the acoustic signal of song is more consonant than that of speech and that professional musicians have less “noise” in both their spoken and sung signals” (p. 219). Therefore, it is proven that music therapists have the ability to promote the occurrence of neuroplasticity by calming the noise.
In conclusion, music has the ability to stimulate neuroplasticity, produce dopamine, remap the brain wiring, and quiet the noise. Music is a unique tool music therapists pair with therapeutic goals to achieve them. The brain is ever changing and so is music. “Like the sculptor who meticulously adds and cuts away until a final masterpiece is revealed, music therapists are the artists that use music to prune and create new neural connections resulting in a beautifully crafted masterpiece” (p. 220). This study is just one part of the extensive research on the positive impacts of music therapy on the brain. It is important for continued research to educate people on the effectiveness of music therapy.
-Kennedi Walz, Music Therapy Intern
References
American Music Therapy Association. (2021, February 12). What is Music Therapy. https://www.musictherapy.org/
Choy, L. (2018). Neuroplasticity and Mental Wellness: Our Path Forward. Thrive Global. https://medium.com/thrive-global/neuroplasticity-mental-wellness-our-path-forward-4c03a632868 (image)
Stegemöller, E. (2014). Exploring a Neuroplasticity Model of Music Therapy. Journal of Music Therapy, 51, 211-227. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.utc.edu/10.1093/jmt/thu023
