Music Upper Limb Therapy-Integrated Provides a Feasible Enriched Environment and Reduces Post-stroke Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Anna Palumbo, Viswanath Aluru, Jessica Battaglia and 11 others
PMID 34864768WHAT IT FOUND
Group music therapy reduced depression and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor compared to home exercises.
However, home exercises improved actual motor function and sensation, while music therapy only improved self-perceived recovery. Neither was superior on the primary motor outcome.
Key findings
01Music therapy significantly reduced depression scores and increased BDNF levels compared to the home exercise control group.
02The home exercise group showed significant improvements in upper limb motor impairment and sensory tests, which the music therapy group did not.
03The music therapy group improved on self-reported quality of life and participation scales, but not on the primary objective motor outcome.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This was a small pilot study with no power analysis, and results may not generalize. The groups were not stratified by baseline impairment or depression levels, leading to baseline imbalances that had to be statistically corrected. The music therapy was delivered in a group setting with a lower therapist-to-patient ratio than previous successful trials, which may have limited the intensity of motor assistance. There was no long-term follow-up to see if the improvements in BDNF or mood persisted or translated to later motor recovery.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and non-U.S. government sources. No commercial conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume music therapy is superior for physical recovery. The primary motor outcome showed no significant difference between groups, and the home exercise group actually demonstrated significant improvements in objective motor and sensory function that the music group did not.