Music\auditory stimulus and the Epileptic brain

[speber]

Who\what does it for you? I'm really curious to know what you guys listen to if you want to feel better? Sure, there's favorite songs\artists, but what is it about their music that makes you feel better?...melody?...tempo?...lyrics?...bass notes?

I've been searching mega-leads on research projects out there involving music\auditory stimuli and the epileptic brain. Check out the links posted in this thread...there is good stuff out there.


If you were feeling a little 'off'...what would you listen to?

I'll start with:

Dear Prudence-----Beatles
Prelude for Cello Suite in G-----Bach
Deep in the West-----Shake Russell
Nighttime------Big Star
By Myself-----Tony Bennett
leaves falling through the trees

***Be sure and check out all the related links three posts down!***

[Bernard]

hehe... I'll start with one that is home brewed...

Mozart / Classical Music

This page also has some interesting info, though it is not specific to epilepsy/seizures: The Effects of Music on the Mind : Beyond Soothing the Savage Beast

I am also aware of (but don't have direct references) studies that focused specifically on Baroque era music (such as Pachabel's Canon in D) showing it elicits strong alpha brain wave responses.

[POSITIVEPERSON]

I love my spiritual music:
Libana-Fire within
Libana-Circle is cast
Crimson-Mender of hearts
Crimison Blessings

[speber]

Music Therapy World Home Page --- lots of good links listed here....such as The World Federation of Music Therapy and The European Music Therapy Federation.

Musica ---- this is a link to a particular page within The Music and Science Computer Archive site. You'll see a link on the page to, among others, a subject index FULL of interesting research and could keep me busy for a LONG time. Good stuff.

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research ---- this is a link to a really fascinating UK site.

New Opinions on the Health Benefits of Mozart --- The Royal Society of Medicine

Creativity Jazzes the Brain --- article in the Dallas Examiner found by alivenwell (Thanks!)

BRAMS Laboratory --- International Laboratory for BRAin, Music and Sound Research

Dr. Robert J. Zatorre's Homepage --- ZLab, BRAMS Laboratory, Department of Neuropsychology, Montreal

Levitin's Lab --- Associate Professor Daniel Levitin's Laboratory for Music at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Links to their research projects and publications through this home page.

The Brain-Tuning Project --- Tuning the brain for music, or Braintuning, for short. The Department of Psychology at the University of Helsinki.

Music Training Boosts the Brain --- BBC Online News article about music training and its effects on the brain.

Brain Machine 'improves musicianship' --- article in BBC Online News about neurofeedback's effects on musicians...found originally by RobinN

The Biology of Music --- this article (originally published in 'The Economist', February 10, 2000) courtesy of a UCLA communication student's website. A good read on temporal lobe epilepsy and music.

Musicogenic Epilepsy - (pdf) article from Epilepsia, The Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy

Sean Paul’s songs sparked woman’s seizures - this is a link to an article originally posted by Birdbomb...Stacy found another good article about this!

Craving Music After Treatment for Partial Epilepsy - (pdf) article from Epilepsia, The Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy

Evanescence-A musician's an epilepsy advocate! She's hooked up with the International "Out of the Shadows" campaign for epliepsy awareness.

Central auditory pathologies - (pdf) a fine article (link found in the British Medical Bulletin) by Timothy D. Griffiths, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK ...the long list of references at the end offers up information for more as well!

The Case of Leonardo - an article about music therapy (posted originally by Zoe)

The Effects of Music on the Mind - the link to this article posted originally by Bernard

One year of musical training affects development of auditory cortical-evoked fields in young children - the link to this article posted originally by Bernard

Music's Mending Powers - the link to this article posted originally by Bernard

Precipitating Stimuli for Reflex Seizures - an article on the International League Against Epilepsy website listing various triggers (including music) originally posted by Zoe

'Rachmoninov effect' - interesting post by Zoe (in Speber's Auditorium) with a link to more information about the composer.

Music hath charm to sooth the savage beast - the link to this article found in thread originally started by Birdbomb

Unchained By Melody - an article in Neurology Now discussing music's amazing therapeutic effects on damaged brains with Dr. Oliver Sacks (link given to me by RobinN).

Epilepsy: A New Approach - another fine link supplied by Robin. It is a book by the doctors behind the Andrews-Reiter project.

The Listening Program - link to a thread posted by Robin with links to this program regarding therapeutic use of auditory stimulus. AWESOME!

Intelligence And Rhythmic Accuracy Go Hand In Hand - link to a thread started by RobinN with a link to an article in Science Daily....cool!

Sustain The Brain - post by Bernard with link to audio stimulus\EEG feedback treatment. Very interesting!

Audio-Visual Entrainment - post by member bedolago about AVE. Also very interesting!

Headbangin' Damages The Brain - link found by member Texas Travel

How Your Brain Listens To Music - link found by member Shelley

Music and emotion: perceptual determinants, immediacy, and isolation after brain damage - (abstract) link found by member Shelley

GRAY MATTERS: Music and the Brain - NPR transcript found by member Shelley

many more...but time permitting ya know?!

Semper Hi-Fidelity!

[speber]

I'll just keep adding the good links to the earlier post in this thread!

Good Stuff!

[renee97]

Um, Bernard
I have a Bachelors in Music Education, and (most of, but incomplete) a Masters in Music composition. I have also had a total of nine of my compositions performed and have been (for lack of better term) passionate about classical music since as long as I can remember
In August 2006, I was in the hospital for tests for my epilepsy. I had my radio/CD player with me. Minnesota Public Radio has a "mid-morning" program (part call-in) from 9 AM to 11 AM.
The Wednesday I was in the hospital, the 9 AM segment was about "Music and the brain" I was listening to this and could not take it any more!!! I called in, and it took 20 minutes for me to get on the air (FROM the hospital!)
I don't remember my words, of course, but I tried to explain that music from the Baroque period, especially the music of J S Bach, G F Handel, and Arcangelo Corelli (to name a few) emphasizes counterpoint more than any other musical aspect. The easiest way to explain counterpoint is that it is at least two, but up to 10, voices that either imitate or move in a linear fashion from the others.
it is not that Mozart, Beethoven and others do NOT write counterpoint, it is that the Baroque era emphasizes this over melody, rhythm, etc.
The 12 Concerti Grossi of Corelli are one of the best examples of this.

Oh, and one of my friends from church heard the whole program and told me:
"Lisa, you were WAY ahead of him."
Meaning the guy who was the speaker!!
Lisa

[renee97]

Oh, and one more thing.
When young children are exposed to music, again primarily from the Baroque era, it helps them learn. It stimulates the brain to hear opposing voices moving in a linear movement from each other. Does it sound like I know what I am talking about?
Lisa

[Bernard]

... It stimulates the brain to hear opposing voices moving in a linear movement from each other. ...

Oooo... Stacy and I really good at raising opposing voices to our children!

Seriously, thanks for the comments. Everything I found discussing the Baroque music focused on the tempo being between 50-80 beats or something like that. Music is one subject for which I've never had any aptitude (or patience).

[renee97]

For what it is worth, many non-musician friends find Baroque music dull and mathematical. I cannot understand why, because I love it.
So I will provide an option. If you try Baroque music, and you really can't stand it (I hope not), listen to the late works (piano music) of Beethoven or Johannes Brahms. There is lots of "substance" there!

[speber]

Lisa...WOW. That's good stuff. I love it when the people on this forum speak up! It's amazing how much everyone here has to offer. Careful with Mr. B though...it's hard to equal your references,but his researching skills and the ability to pull up the 'lost posts' are unrivaled so far as I've seen!
I've found myself more open to classical every day, as if I'm learning something new. I'm a musician of 25+ years (although not classically trained) and I'm now on a quest to prove music is more beneficial than it may seem. I believe there are beneficial aspects hidden away in other forms of music and even things such as some forms of ambient noise as well. I truly believe it keeps my epilepsy at bay...I just need to prove it scientifically.
Between you and Bernard, I think I'll have to add some Baroque period stuff to my nano.

[Bernard]

Careful with Mr. B though...it's hard to equal ... his researching skills ...

[speber]

now THAT's FUNNY!!!!!

[renee97]

WHAT is funny? Should i be laughing?

[speber]

Lord of the Rings humor there...the ever-watchful Evil Eye of Sauron. Good soundtrack to that trilogy of flicks by the way...some of my personal favorites....Enya...Annie Lennox...

Lisa, do you have a piece that stands out as one that helps you feel better?...like 'favorite of the favorites' I guess, or a 'deserted island'-type of choice?

Peace

[renee97]

More than one (sorry):
Mass in b minor (h-moll for the musicians out there) - Johann Sebastian Bach
Requiem, Opus 5 - Hector Berlioz
Petrouchka (ballet) - Igor Stravinsky
Symphony of Psalms - Igor Stravinsky
and
any chamber music or solo piano music of Johannes Brahms

[speber]

Very cool. I am going to dig 'em out and give a good listen! I was extremely fortunate of late to come into about 3000 records with MANY good classical collections.

Thanks Lisa!

[renee97]

That's 3000 records--as in vinyl records?? And you have the capability to play them still? Well, good luck on that. If money was no problem (but it is), my CD collection would be twice the size it is and it would not be limited to classical.
lisa renee

[speber]

My sister happened to be in the right place at the right time to accpt all these lp's from someone who just was tired of dealing with the sheer bulk of it all. She thought I'd like them...boy was she right!

Talk about an eclectic collection---there's everything from an lp with the "War of the Worlds" broadcast to Shaquille O'neal's rap album(not my cup but oh well!) to complete Reader's Digest Collections of classical parformances and such to crosby, Stills, Nash, and young...........

I'm having a blast sorting through it! Most are in really great shape and my intention is to dump them to digital on the computer as quickly as possible. Good Stuff!

I would love to find commonalities through responses to "what music helps people with epilepsy feel better?"-type questions....and then create some compilations for them that might help them! Music is a relatively untapped source of relief for epilepsy...I'm sure of it.

Peace!

[Zoe]

You are so right! For me it would be several things, Carlos Nakai, Native American Flute; Julian Bream, his Spanish music; Chopin's Muzurkas, and Chinese string [pipa] music. Music can so direct, or redirect my mental and emotional states. What great discoveries are you making in those LPs? I am trying to find a recording, "The Art of Julian Bream," should you come across one. It is one of his earlier works. And I already mentioned Paul Horn, and Tony Scott.
A combination [music to soothe brain waves] is like a great idea!

[Zoe]

This link is to an interesting article from Italy on music used as therapy for a child with a severe seizure disorder.

"Music therapy with a child suffering
from severe epilepsy.
The case of Leonardo


Lucia Torre
psycologist, musician, music therapist

In this article we describe the treatment of a patient affected with serious epilepsy. We based the music therapy work on strengthening the mother-child interaction, inspired by the psychodynamic theoretical model. It is centred on the "Iso" principle and on the "intermediary object".
The change occurred through: affective "tunings" (Stern); empathic mirroring; sonorous dialogue; sensory stimulation; vocal and instrumental improvisation.
We used the "sound- rhythm- movement" paradigm for going back to the archaic and primitive forms of pre and post-birth communication.
We stimulated and increased the interaction between the patient and his mother within the music therapy relationship."

Full Article:
http://www.aiemme.it/english/mt5.htm