Here's your next prescription: Metallica's Enter Sandman, by ear, 2-3 times daily as needed.
Ok, probably not realistic. But on a more practical note, could it be possible for doctors prescribe rhythms and sounds to treat brain disorders?
It's amazing to read that hearing a steady rhythm can help people
with brain injury, dementia, or Parkinson's temporarily regain normal
functions. For Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, the realization came
when he played for his grandmother, who had descended into dementia and
stopped speaking for over a year. She responded to his beat with a smile
and addressed him by name.
Read the whole article here:
http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/26/unlikely-partnersgrateful-dead-drummer-teams-with-scientist-to-study-how-rhythm-heals/
It's pretty well known that our brain functions are dependent on rhythm. From heartbeats to sleep cycles to hormone levels, it is necessary for our brains to be in rhythm to function properly. Internal pacemakers also regulate nerve signals that control language and movement.
Doctors have known that music can be therapeutic, and experts think that the external source of rhythm somehow recalibrates the internal pacemakers that have gone awry and led to problems, since different rhythms correspond to different cognitive functions. There is great potential for music therapy, but harnessing its power in a sustainable fashion has yet to be achieved.
Also, the article does note that musically-induced emotion could be a confounding factor, since emotion can also improve memory. Either way, it can't hurt to listen to a song you enjoy - you could just shoot for all the potential benefits from increased emotion and the external rhythm source.
I wonder what kind of emotion improves memory. Would you get the same benefits from Kesha as you would from Opeth? Or would it not really matter just as long as all songs just have some kind of beat? I could even hypothesize how funky time signatures could shake things up a bit - definitely find myself "recalibrating" when I hear those!
