Dane County New Horizons Music Inc
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Dane County New Horizons Music Inc
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Benefits
  • Directors
  • Membership
    • Become A Member
    • Information
  • Questions & Answers
    • General Questions
    • Fees
  • Resources

Medical & Psych-Social Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument: Anxiety, Asthma, Blood Pressure, Dementia Improvement, Depression, Hearing in Crowds, Heart Rate, Immune System, Social Interactions, Stroke Recovery, etc.

"Music-making is linked to a number of health benefits for adults.... Research shows that making music can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, reduce stress, and lesson anxiety and depression. There is also increasing evidence that making music enhances the immunological response, which enables us to fight viruses." Suzanne Hansen

References:

  • Chan AS, Ho YC, Cheung MC. "Music training improves verbal memory." Nature. 1998:396, 128.
  • Erkkila J, Gold C, Fachner J, Ala-Ruona E, Punkanen M, Vanhala M. "The effect of improvisational music therapy on the treatment of improvisational music therapy on depression: protocol for a randomized controlled trial." BMC Psychiatry. 2008:8, 50.
  • Kuhn D. "The effects of active and passive participation in musical activity on the immune system as measured by salivary immunoglobulin A (SigA)." J Music Ther. 2002 Spring: 39(1):30-9.
  • Mammarella N, Fairfield B, Cornoldi C. "Does music enhance cognitive performance in healthy older adults? The Vivaldi Effect." Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. Oct, 2007 {E-Publication}.
  • Napoletan A. "Music therapy for dementia: Awakening memories." Alzheimers.net. October 11, 2017.
  • Pantev C, Engeliem A, Candia V, Elbert T. "Representational cortex in musicians. Plastic alterations in response to musical practice." Ann NY Acad Sci. 2001, June 930:300-14.
  • Parbery-Clark A, Skoe E, Lam C, Kraus N. "Musician enhancement for speech-in-noise." Ear Hear. 2009:30, 653-61.
  • Sarkamo T, Laitinen S, Numminen A, Kurki M, Johnson JK, Rantanen P. "Clinical and demographic factors associated with the cognitive and emotional efficacy of regular music activities in dementia." J Alzheimers Dis. Oct 19, 2015.
  • Sliwka A, Wloch T, Tenor D,Nowobilski R. "Do asthmatics benefit from music therapy? A systematic review." Complement There Med. 2014, Aug 22(4) 1756-66.

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All Rights Reserved. Updated 3/23/25

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