In red yellow, brain activity induced by listening to music in chronic stroke patients pre (first row) and post (second row) MST. Note how activity within motor and supplementary motor (Prec and SMA) is restored after MST.
The aim of this line of research is to explore whether music is an effective rehabilitative intervention that can lead to cognitive and motor improvements by inducing fine-grained neuroanatomical changes. For example, in one study we showed that Music-Supported Therapy (MST; music training designed to restore motor deficits) is a viable intervention to improve motor function in chronic stroke and that this improvement was accompanied by a restitution of both brain activity and functional connectivity among auditory-motor regions of the affected hemisphere, and also by mood and quality of life improvements (Ripollés et al., 2016, Brain Imaging and Behavior). In addition, in collaboration with Dr. Teppo Särkämö from University of Helsinki, we showed that the improvements in cognitive recovery and mood after stroke that were induced by simply listening to music on a daily basis, were associated with a structural reorganization of grey matter in frontal and limbic areas (Särkämö et al., 2014, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience).