Does music induce interbrain synchronization between a non-speaking youth with cerebral palsy (CP), a parent, and a neurologic music therapist? A brief report

A scoping review of integrated arts therapies and neuroscience research

Introduction

This article provided a scoping review of the current state of the field for integrated arts therapies and neuroscience research. The main arts therapies modalities included in this review were: of arts therapies (i.e., drawing, painting, sculpting, bibliotherapy, cinema therapy, dance movement therapies, drama therapies, music therapies, neuroaesthetics, phototherapies, and poetry). The main objectives of this integrated arts therapies and neuroscience scoping review were to: (1) include multiple modalities of arts therapies, (2) summarize, synthesize, compare, and contrast populations, settings, presenting problems, methods, modalities, measures, and outcomes, (3) discuss implications, and (4) suggest future directions.

Methods

The design for this scoping review was conducted according to PRISMA-ScR and the JBI Scoping Review Manual standardized recommendations. Eligibility criteria included: English language, peer-review, integration of arts therapies and neuroscience, and use of research methodologies such as case studies, quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, systematic or scoping reviews, and meta-analyses. Articles were gathered from two online databases (EBSCOHost and PubMed) using keywords, and review of articles from reference lists. Publications that met criteria were reviewed and charted for the following information: author, year of publication, sample size and characteristics, research design, data analyses, modality (i.e., intervention, treatment), and outcomes. This scoping review included 84 publications that met inclusion criteria, after the research team discussed to consensus.

Results

Outcomes suggested improvements in brain activity and integration, cognitive, affective, sensory, and social functioning, memory reconsolidation, psychological symptoms, affect, and behavior.

Discussion

Interpretations were limited in that most publications lacked directionality in their approach, were exploratory, and dependent on researcher assumptions, expertise, and access to instruments and populations. Therefore, more research is needed on each modality that upholds stronger research methodology, and can develop focus across researchers. While this scoping review was able to summarize and synthesize the state of the field, it is still too early to be able to compare outcomes or make more solid conclusions about specific neuroscientific processes and benefits for each individual modality. This body of knowledge provided valuable implications for the field and made suggestions for future directions.

Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the use of music as a therapeutic and developmental tool for infants, especially within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), has seen a surge in interest. Despite a growing body of research underscoring the potential benefits of music therapy and music medicine in enhancing infant development and aiding medical practices, the specific characteristics of music that maximize these benefits remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive foundation by mapping the existing literature on passive music listening and identifying gaps, trends, and patterns that are crucial precursors to the development of best practices.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted, covering studies published up until December 2022. The focus was on passive music listening, with a deliberate exclusion of active music interventions. Out of the initial pool of studies, 56 met the inclusion criteria, determined by the PICO framework, focusing on passive music exposure among full-term and preterm infants. Starting with a descriptive analysis approach, the study employed Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to identify key themes, including the physiological impacts of music, its role in pain management, effects on sleep and stress, and influences on feeding and weight gain.

RESULTS

The review revealed a predominance of quantitative research methods, a significant concentration of studies from the United States, suggesting potential geographical bias, and a notable clinical setting bias. These findings indicate a critical need for methodological diversity and a more culturally inclusive and interdisciplinary approach to research. They also point to the necessity for standardized music intervention protocols to optimize therapeutic and developmental outcomes for this vulnerable population. Future research should aim to bridge the methodological gaps identified, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of music's impact on infant development and medical practices in a global, culturally nuanced context.

Brain to brain musical interaction: A systematic review of neural synchrony in musical activities

The use of hyperscanning technology has revealed the neural mechanisms underlying multi-person interaction in musical activities. However, there is currently a lack of integration among various research findings. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the social dynamics and brain synchronization in music activities through the analysis of 32 studies. The findings illustrate a strong correlation between inter-brain synchronization (IBS) and various musical activities, with the frontal, central, parietal, and temporal lobes as the primary regions involved. The application of hyperscanning not only advances theoretical research but also holds practical significance in enhancing the effectiveness of music-based interventions in therapy and education. The review also utilizes Predictive Coding Models (PCM) to provide a new perspective for interpreting neural synchronization in music activities. To address the limitations of current research, future studies could integrate multimodal data, adopt novel technologies, use non-invasive techniques, and explore additional research directions.

The absence of one's intimate partner promotes dyadic competition through enhanced interbrain synchronization between opponents

Competition is a common occurrence in life, but the influence of intimate relationships on people's competitiveness remains unknown. Grounded in Darwin's theory of sexual selection, this study utilized EEG hyperscanning technology to investigate the influence of the presence of romantic partners and the gender of competitors on the interbrain synchronization of female individuals during competitive contexts. The research results showed that in competitive interactions, there was a significant increase in Theta and Alpha frequency band activity between females and their competitors. Interbrain synchronization was strongest when their partners were not nearby and females competed with same gender competitors. The research results indicate that intimate companionship has an impact on the early alertness and late cognitive execution mechanisms of female individuals in competition, and due to intimate relationships, females pay more attention to same-gender competitors. This study demonstrates that the presence of intimate partners can affect a female's competitive state and brain synchronization with opponents of different genders, improving the theoretical explanation of intimate relationships and competitive interactions.

Intra- and inter-brain coupling and activity dynamics during improvisational music therapy with a person with dementia: an explorative EEG-hyperscanning single case study

Objective

Real-life research into the underlying neural dynamics of improvisational music therapy, used with various clinical populations, is largely lacking. This single case study explored within-session differences in musical features and in within- and between-brain coupling between a Person with Dementia (PwD) and a music therapist during a music therapy session.

Methods

Dual-EEG from a music therapist and a PwD (male, 31 years) was recorded. Note density, pulse clarity and synchronicity were extracted from audio-visual data. Three music therapists identified moments of interest and no interest (MOI/MONI) in two drum improvisations. The Integrative Coupling Index, reflecting time-lagged neural synchronization, and musical features were compared between the MOI and MONI.

Results

Between-brain coupling of 2 Hz activity was increased during the MOI, showing anteriority of the therapist's neural activity. Within-brain coupling for the PwD was stronger from frontal and central areas during the MOI, but within-brain coupling for the therapist was stronger during MONI. Differences in musical features indicated that both acted musically more similar to one another during the MOI.

Conclusion

Within-session differences in neural synchronization and musical features highlight the dynamic nature of music therapy.

Significance

The findings contribute to a better understanding of social and affective processes in the brain and (interactive) musical behaviors during specific moments in a real-life music therapy session. This may provide insights into the role of such moments for relational-therapeutic processes.

EEG Hyperscanning and Qualitative Analysis of Moments of Interest in Music Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation—A Feasibility Study

Interdisciplinary research into the underlying neural processes of music therapy (MT) and subjective experiences of patients and therapists are largely lacking. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of newly developed procedures (including electroencephalography/electrocardiography hyperscanning, synchronous audio–video monitoring, and qualitative interviews) to study the personal experiences and neuronal dynamics of moments of interest during MT with stroke survivors. The feasibility of our mobile setup and procedures as well as their clinical implementation in a rehabilitation centre and an acute hospital ward were tested with four phase C patients. Protocols and interviews were used for the documentation and analysis of the feasibility. Recruiting patients for MT sessions was feasible, although data collection on three consecutive weeks was not always possible due to organisational constraints, especially in the hospital with acute ward routines. Research procedures were successfully implemented, and according to interviews, none of the patients reported any burden, tiredness, or increased stress due to the research procedures, which lasted approx. 3 h (ranging from 135 min to 209 min) for each patient. Implementing the research procedures in a rehabilitation unit with stroke patients was feasible, and only small adaptations were made for further research.