Creative music therapy to promote brain function and brain structure in preterm infants: A randomized controlled pilot study
Haslbeck FB, Jakab A, Held U, Bassler D, Bucher HU, Hagmann C
NeuroImage. Clinical · 67 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- University or hospital
- Universität Zürich
- Nonprofit
- EMDO Stiftung
- Nonprofit
- Vontobel-Stiftung
- University or hospital
- Universitätsspital Zürich
- Nonprofit
- Foundation for Research in Science and the Humanities
Based on 6 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2020-01-01 · Neuroimage Clin · vol. 25 · p. 102171
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 136 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 22.2× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 99 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Infant Development and Preterm Care · Neonatal and fetal brain pathology · Infant Health and Development
- Keywords
- Resting state fMRI, Randomized controlled trial, Music therapy, Medicine, Cognition, Brain activity and meditation, Psychology, Neuroscience, Audiology, Physical therapy, Electroencephalography, Internal medicine
- MeSH
- thalamus, cerebral cortex, nerve net, humans, music therapy, prospective studies, feasibility studies, pilot projects, infant, newborn, infant, premature, diffusion tensor imaging, infant, extremely premature, connectome
6 authors
From CH
- Friederike Barbara Haslbeck · correspondingUniversity Hospital Zurich
- András Áron JakabUniversity Children's Hospital Zurich
- Ulrike Held
- Dirk BasslerUniversity Hospital Zurich
- Hans-Ulrich BucherUniversity Hospital Zurich
- Cornelia Franziska HagmannUniversity Hospital Zurich; University Children's Hospital Zurich
Abstract
Cognitive and neurobehavioral problems are among the most severe adverse outcomes in very preterm infants. Such neurodevelopmental impairments may be mitigated through nonpharmacological interventions such as creative music therapy (CMT), an interactive, resource- and needs-oriented approach that provides individual social contact and musical stimulation. The aim was to test the feasibility of a study investigating the role of CMT and to measure the short- and medium-term effects of CMT on structural and functional brain connectivity with MRI. In this randomized, controlled clinical pilot feasibility trial, 82 infants were randomized to either CMT or standard care. A specially trained music therapist provided CMT via infant-directed humming and singing in lullaby style. To test the short-term effects of CMT on brain structure and function, diffusion tensor imaging data and resting-state functional imaging data were acquired. Clinical feasibility was achieved despite moderate parental refusal mainly in the control group after randomization. 40 infants remained as final cohort for the MRI analysis. Structural brain connectivity appears to be moderately affected by CMT, structural connectomic analysis revealed increased integration in the posterior cingulate cortex only. Lagged resting-state MRI analysis showed lower thalamocortical processing delay, stronger functional networks, and higher functional integration in predominantly left prefrontal, supplementary motor, and inferior temporal brain regions in infants treated with CMT. This trial provides unique evidence that CMT has beneficial effects on functional brain activity and connectivity in networks underlying higher-order cognitive, socio-emotional, and motor functions in preterm infants. Our results indicate the potential of CMT to improve long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born very preterm.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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