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Music, Religion and Alzheimer’sPreliminary Studies and Introductory Research into the Role of Music and Religion in the emotional

grounding and preventative treatment for Alzheimer's patientsStephen Henderson hanaboy@ccrma.stanford.edu Jonathan Berger brg@ccrma.stanford.edu

Introduction

Key Articles

Key Questions

Pilot Survey Population Features: Religious Reporting

Pilot Survey: Significant Memory of One Musical Piece

Key Points to Consider

Some key common associations to consider:

Age (Childhood and Adolescent Developmental ages)

Significant Emotional Events (Funeral, Break-Ups)

Time of Year (Christmas)

Relationships ( Romantic, Familial)

Activity (Driving)

Frequency of Listening

Place (Home, Church, Car)

Current Listening Activities (I-pod, Church, Performing)

The combination of multiple factors

Highlighted Results

Sources and Key Researchers

Contact informationStephen HendersonCenter for Computer Research in Music and Acousticshttps://ccrma.stanford.edu/~hanaboy/220c/

For any questions or comments please feel free to call or email me

T: (808) 344-1988

E: hanaboy@stanford.eduhanaboy@ccrma.stanford.edu

•How and why does music elicit responses in many Alzheimer's patients? Are there common musical features that strongly evoke autobiographical memory? How can responses be characterized?

•Where and when does this music most significantly come from in that persons life? What are key components of memories associated with that memory? What other factors add to its prevalence?

•Can these factors be developed into a therapeutic approach to enhancing and preserving memory?

•What is the role of deeply rooted musical memory in Alzheimer’s patients? How do they become deeply rooted?

•Are there benefits or possibilities of using music as prevention, treatment or just emotional grounding for Alzheimer’s?

The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL), 2006-2010 (current), David Ames, Et. Al

Music changes the patterns of brain activity and improves blood circulation in patients with Alzheimer's disease, National Aging Research Institute, Australia

Can a cognitive (music) intervention enhance the treatment effects of Aricept in patients with Alzheimer's disease?, 2002-06 (current), Pfizer Neuroscience Research Grant

The Neural Architecture of Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories, Petr Janata

Movement With Meaning: A Multisensory Program for Individuals With Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease. Larsen, B. Baltimore, MD: Health Professions Press. 2006. pg. 201

Sound Medicine: Music Therapy Plays Off the Brain-Healing Power of Songs and Their Rhythms to Stimulate Memory and Movement. Shaw, G. Neurology Now. 2(5): 26-19. September-October 2006.

“Use It or Lose It” Theory Gains Ground, Journal of Neuroscience, January 2, 2008;28(1):315–324.

Discipline and Alzheimer’s Disease, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, February 2008;56(2):291–295.

Procedural Memory and Emotional Attachment in Alzheimer Disease: Implications for Meaningful and Engaging Activities, Vance, David E.; Moore, Barbara S.; Farr, Kenneth F.; Struzick, Tom. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing: April 2008 - Volume 40 - Issue 2 - pg. 96-102

Music, Religion and Memory

What musical piece is most meaningful to you?

What memory do you most strongly associate with this piece?

When was the last time you heard this piece?

When was the first time you heard this piece that you can remember?

How frequently do you hear this piece?

Once a weekMore than Once a week

Once a monthMore than Once a Month

Where do you most often hear/listen to this piece?

Where did you first hear this piece that you can remember?

How does this piece make you feel?

On a scale from 1-10 please rate your personal devotion level to your religion.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Weak Strong

On a scale from 1-10 please rate your activity level in religious activities.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Not Active Very Active

How many years have you been a member of your religious affiliation?

Why do you listen to this piece?

The following survey was sent out online to 30 young single adults from the ages 22-30. The idea was to see in young adults what memories were most deeply associated with music in an effort to find anecdotal evidence for certain variables that may be common throughout a religious population and to help answer why and how memories associated with music and religion become deeply embedded. I hypothesize that for religious-influenced populations, that there are pieces experienced with religious practice that are prolonged in memory. It is available online to the public at https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~hanaboy/220c/.

What memory do you most strongly associate with this piece?

“Visiting the Salt Lake Temple as a child.”“Driving at night”

“Driving home at midnight, after going to see a girl I liked”“Riding in the car on the way to the temple, discussing what songs of praise we would sing at the Second Coming. Feeling how well

this song expresses my feelings of gratitude and praise”“We sung it at my cousin's funeral, when I was in high school. That was the first time I had ever heard it, and it was really powerful to

me.” “My grandfather's funeral”

When was the first time you heard this piece that you can remember?

“Childhood”“5 years old”

“11 years old at church”“like 10 years old”

“at my cousin's funeral, about 6 years ago”“A child, can't remember”

“I was about 10ish”

Frequency of Listening

Current Religious Activity

Current Religious Devotion

Comparison of normal brain to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Comparison between normal brain and Alzheimer’s Disease. PET scan.

Key Researchers and Contacts:

Brenda Hutchins, Dr. Petr Janata, Dr. Michael Merzenich, Dr. David Huron, Carol Krumhansl, Dr. Jonathan Berger, Dr. Marilyn Winkelby

Image Sourceshttp://www.petscaninfo.com/zportal/portals/pat/brain/Alzheimers_Disease/pet_scans. http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/wrigglesworth/brainimaging.htm http://mindschism.blogspot.com/2008/04/life-altering-physical-illness.html

I am embarking upon an honor's thesis that explores the role of music, and specifically religious and ritual music in deep seated long-term memory. This poster presents preliminary research, questions, discussion and survey results to summarize the direction in which the research is headed and to get feedback on ways to improve, clarify and steer the project into upcoming years. Some potential problems to address is quantifiable ways of diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s, emotional grounding for effective treatment and care of Alzheimer’s patients, and preventative treatment for degenerative memory loss. Alzheimer’s currently effects over 2.4 million to 4.5 million Americans.

What musical piece is most meaningful to you?

“Handel's Messiah”, “I can't stay” by the Killers, “How Great Thou Art”, “Still Alive” by Jonathan

Coulton, “Star Wars theme”, “How Firm a Foundation”, “Come thou Fount of Every Blessing”,

“Nearer My God to Thee”, “This is the Christ”

One important aspect to this project was the association of musical practice in a religious community. The population was polled and asked to rate their religious activity and devotion level on a scale of 1 – 10. We hope to identify and illustrate the relationship between consistent, long term religious practice, music and prolonged or deep seated memory in further studies.